Nancy Catherine Merrill

In Loving Memory of Nancy Merrill

Nancy C. Merrill (Lorei), age 84, of Lynnwood, WA, passed away peacefully on November 2, 2024. Nancy, the youngest of six children, was born on December 7, 1939, in Erie, PA, the beloved daughter of the late Frank Lorei and Marcella Lorei (Niederriter).

Nancy was a woman of boundless generosity and warmth, who never met a stranger. To her, everyone was family, and she freely gave her time and energy, always quick to help others even before they asked. Her kindness, unwavering strength, and selflessness defined her character. There was no challenge too great for Nancy, and no moment too small to offer love or a word of encouragement.

Throughout her life, Nancy was a beacon of light, love, and laughter. She approached each day with purpose, lifting the spirits of everyone around her. Her joy was infectious, and her ability to bring happiness to others was unparalleled. Whether through her heartfelt laughter or thoughtful gestures, Nancy made the world a better place, one kind act at a time. Her legacy of love, compassion, and service will live on in the many lives she touched.

After graduation from St. Benedict Academy in Erie, she married Earl Francis and had her first child, Daniel. The marriage did not last and after some time living back at home, Nancy set out for southern California when Daniel was three.

In California, Nancy met Samuel Merrill, Jr., and they married in December 1961. The couple settled in Anaheim and had two more children, Kenneth and Kathryn. Nancy was a dedicated and loving mother, supporting and nurturing her children throughout her life.

In 1974 the family moved to Myrtle Creek, OR, seeking a different pace and lifestyle. It was during this time that Nancy discovered Religious Science, which dramatically changed the course of her life. She became an avid student, attending classes and deepening her knowledge of spiritual practice. In time, she became a minister, sharing her wisdom with several churches and inspiring others with her faith and commitment.

While in Myrtle Creek, Nancy and Sam opened a music store selling pianos and organs. Nancy learned how to play the organ and won a local Yamaha organ competition and went on to compete in the international Yamaha organ competition.

After her two eldest had moved out, Nancy, Sam and Kathryn moved to San Diego after Nancy accepted a position at Religious Science International Headquarters. In 1997 the Religious Science Int’l HQ decided to move from San Diego to Spokane, WA. After helping them get established, she and Sam decided to move to the Seattle area to enjoy the start of their retirement; however a terminal diagnosis for Sam intervened, and he passed in 1998. After Sam’s passing, Nancy decided to stay in the Seattle area with her daughter Kathryn who had moved up from California with them.

Most of Nancy’s career was spent in Finance as an accountant and bookkeeper for numerous businesses, ultimately starting her own successful business serving many clients and businesses in Southern California and the Pacific Northwest, maintaining an active practice until her passing.

A geek at heart, Nancy loved hearing about, learning and trying new technology. Hardly a week would go by without some new gadget or software showing up for her to try out, always with the goal of learning and improving her day-to-day life and making her business operations more efficient.

As part of her accounting business, she assisted clients in modernizing their accounting systems which often involved new computers and software which she would help setup, configure and train the staff on their usage.

Nancy enjoyed a fulfilling “retirement”, spending time as a minister at Evergreen Church of Religious Sciences, expanding her accounting business to serve more clients, and serving on the boards of numerous non-profits.

She spent a good portion of the last couple of decades sharing a house with her two youngest and visiting her eldest son Daniel and his family in Japan as often as possible.

She enjoyed immensely attending her church Unity in Lynnwood, the UIL community and serving on the boards of both UIL and Wee Care Academy. For the last several years she also volunteered her time and energy for Hands on Housing. In 2024 much of her time volunteering was spent in soliciting donations of supplies for the Hands on Housing annual project.

A lifelong learner, she enjoyed taking classes, listening to podcasts, reading, and sharing what she learned with others. She and her daughter bought a house together and remodeled it, doing most of the work themselves, including gutting good portions of the house, sheet rocking, wood working, painting, and lots more. This became a hobby later, enabling her to learn more about real estate and meet many new friends through REAPs.

Nancy is survived by her daughter Kathryn Merrill of Lynnwood, WA; her grandson Jonah Francis and her daughter-in-law Kumi Francis, both of Yokosuka, Japan. She is also survived by two sisters-in-law, Barbara Lorei and June Smith, numerous nieces and nephews, and a vast circle of cherished friends.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 37 years, Samuel Merrill, Jr., who passed in 1998; her sons, Daniel Francis in 2024 and Kenneth Merrill in 2023; her three brothers, Paul, John, and Jerome Lorei; and two sisters, Eileen Derr (Lorei) and Germaine Lorei.

A celebration of Nancy's remarkable life will be held on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 1 p.m. PST at Unity in Lynnwood (16727 Alderwood Mall Pkwy, Lynnwood). For those who cannot attend in person, the service will also be streamed. You may join virtually at: https://www.youtube.com/live/I_TmefweSII?si=s4WZSpo8DiBPqATO

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Unity in Lynnwood in her memory: https://uil.breezechms.com/give/online