Martin Merriam, 49

The larger the person, the greater the void they leave behind. While social media has been a helpful place to help fill that void, it is still difficult to write this next sentence…

Martin Merriam, 49, passed away Tuesday, January 25, 2022.

Born in Patchogue, NY, Martin attended Canaan Elementary and Saxton Middle School as part of the Patchogue-Medford Schools until the age of 14. In 1986, Mart moved with his family to Gilford, NH, when his father, Phil “Diamond” Merriam, retired. This began what is very likely the best period in his life.

During his high school years, Martin was Class M Baseball Player of the Year and the MVP of the New Hampshire/Vermont Twin State game in 1991, the leading goal scorer on the 1991 Class M soccer championship team and a key member of the 1990 and 1991 basketball teams that went a combined 40-3.

Martin attended college in Florida on a baseball scholarship and transferred to San Diego, CA. Marty enjoyed playing baseball on recreational teams in Florida and New York making many friends along the way with his impressive pitching arm, big bat and especially the laughter he brought to his teammates.

Mart made his life in three more places along his journey — San Diego, CA, with his mother while attending school, New York, NY, with his brother, making a large group of friends there while bartending, and eventually settling in Tampa, FL. Mart spent the last 20 years there, enlarging his “chosen family” amongst two marriages while creating many memories with his sister, Stacy, and two nephews, Austin and Ryan.

While he is pre-deceased by his father Philip Merriam, who died in 2015, he is survived by mother, Christine Engelshjøn-Merriam; step-mother, Kathleen Merriam; siblings, Buddy, Linda, Sean, Stacy, Jamie and Jessie; along with many aunts, uncles, cousins and especially his nieces and nephews, who really enjoyed their Uncle "Woo."

Marty was loved, and will be missed by many.

Celebration of Life services are planned in New Hampshire at the Margate in Laconia on Saturday, July 30 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.