Merrill Atchison

Haverhill – Merrill Katherine (Crane, Bishop, Evans) Atchison, 95, passed away October 26 at High Pointe Hospice in Haverhill with her loving family by her side.Born in Los Angeles, CA, she was the daughter of the late Aaron Raymond and Eva Katherine Crane. In high School she was the Captain of the Hoover High School drill team. Later, she was queen of Job’s Daughters as well as queen of the San Diego USO during the latter part of World War II. There she met Victor Edward Bishop whom she married in 1945. They had a son, Mark Edward. The marriage ended and she was a working single mom until she married Jack Donald Evans in 1952.Jack passed away in 1994 and she was remarried to James Edward Atchison in 1977. They both retired and moved to Grand Junction, CO where she assumed nanny responsibilities for a number of the grandchildren and great grandchildren. Jim passed away in 2003 and in 2007 she moved to Haverhill, MA to be close to her son and lived there until her passing.In the 1940’s and 1950’s, she worked for Pacific Bell of California as a telephone operator and later as a supervisor, after which she was a bookkeeper for a number of different companies in the San Diego area, until her retirement.She was a dedicated Christian, professed a strong faith in Jesus Christ and was instrumental in strengthening the faith of those around her, family, friends and acquaintances. Merrill crocheted constantly in her later years and there’s hardly anyone who knows her that does not have something she made. She did not live her life to be noticed, but she lived life in such a way that she will be missed by everyone who knew her.She is survived by her son, Mark E. Evans stepchildren, Debra Pierson and James Atchison, Jr. step grandchildren, Case Atchison, Bobby Pierson, Patrick Pierson, Christopher Pierson, Stephanie Ruf, Melanie Ruf, Matt Ruf step great grandchildren, Andrew Lyness Ruf, K’Brianna Lyness Ruf, Ethan Cypinski, Jordan Pierson, Curran Atchison, Ocianna Atchison, Nathaniel Pierson, Tyler Pierson, Kathleen Swenson, Johnny Pierson, Isaac Pierson, Camden Pierson, Rebecca Pierson, Alison Pierson, Maddie Ruf, Gracie Ruf, Ariel Ruf, Jason Ruf, Jacob Ruf her step great great grandchildren, Jakobe Pierson and Jaxson Pierson. She was loved by too many people to list.A celebration of her life will be held at West Church, 767 Broadway, Haverhill on Saturday, November 10 at 2:00PM. Arrangements are by the Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main Street, Haverhill. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. Please visit Comeau Funeral Home on Facebook or www.comeaufuneral.com