Harold Merriman
January 19, 1952-January 16, 2021
On Saturday, January 16, 2021, Harold Merriman, loving husband and father of four children, passed away at the age of 68.
Harold was born on January 19, 1952 in New York, NY. He attended Fashion Institute of Technology in 1973. Harold was a longtime resident of Glen Allen, VA. After receiving a Stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis 6 years ago, he began a gallant fight. Like all great warriors rest must come.
He was a carpenter by trade and Sole Owner of Merriman Construction. Harold was a former skills unit training director at The Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services. He also worked and taught Construction at Home Builders Institute and worked with a life long friend Danny Braswell at House to Home. Lastly, he was a Maintenance Supervisor at Westminster Canterbury of the Blue Ridge.
Harolds passions included, drawing, his tech gadgets, Fashion design, Pokémon Go, construction and his salt water fish.
Many knew him as Hal.He was known for his quick wit, his infectious smile, and his kind and compassionate spirit.
Harold is survived by his loving wife Veronica. Their partnership began 45 years ago. He was preceded in death by his mother Patricia Merriman. He’s leaving behind his four loving children, Eli, Nikita, Patricia, Alexis along with devoted and loving daughter in law Nydia and five grandchildren Jade, Jaylen, Jazmyn, Jordan, and Kyrie and his sister Phyllis. Near and dear to him is his Cousin Steven Farrington who was like his brother, loving aunts Judy, Frances and Nancy and many more loving, cousins,nieces ,nephews, sister and brother in laws along with daughters, Kevia, Vishika, Rhonda, Olympia, Karina, and Pin Pin just to name a few who adopted him as their dad and James Williams whom he considered a good friend. Harold loved The Lord and called Pastor Diane C. Mosby and the entire congregation at Anointed New Life Baptist Church his family and Rev. Kirk Washington was like a son. The family thanks his friends, thousands of prayer warriors and his care givers Denise Mason, Kia McMillan and Chaplin Leigh along with the entire staff at Bon Air Community Hospice House for caring for him during his final journey home.
Miss you still cant believe that you are gone
Your father will always be with us. Just remember he said he will watch over us. Be strong.
Will miss you. Love you.
I love daddy always an forever God has a great angel up there with him watch over your wife an kids ❤ I am going miss you
Thank you for the time you took to recognize the love shared,
My deepest condolences ?
Thank you cousin Connie. Remember the good times.
Mr. M. I will never forget you! Your smile, dance moves, support and genuine concern for me will remain in my heart forever.
Keep dancing Mr. M we love you more than you could have ever imagined.
Thank you Miss Bonnie
You are already missed.
I’m so glad you got your wings!
Our God is an awesome God. Love you Sis.
Gone but will never be forgotten, I loved you like a brother. Until we meet again much love , I pray for strength for the family❤️??
To us in his words that means he loved you like a sister. Thank you.
Harold, I realized the other day I’ve known you most of my life! You were an amazing brother, father, mentor, and friend. I can’t believe I won’t see you and get to call you. “Henry” anymore. I can’t even see writing this, as I have tears in my eyes missing you- already! But I’m most proud of how hard you fought and I’m grateful that you are at peace. You took such good care of Veronica and the kids and grandkids- now you get to rest. Love you,!
Thank you Sis. Remember he loved you and the nickname you gave him.
You put in the work to get your name in “The Book”. Job well done brother. Say hello to ancestors. Peace is now yours.
Thank you Bro. You know he did.
Gonna miss your smile and dance move. Rest in peace and rise in glory.
Thank you Deacon. He loved his church family. Glory to God.
This has been very difficult for me during these sad times. I will continue to cherish our childhood memories .
You are now reunited with your Mom Aunt Pat and Momma our Grandmother.
Never forgotten. He loved you as a brother. You already know he will keep watch over you and you family.
Mr. Merriman
Not a day will go by that I won’t think of the time we shared, the laughs we had & the stories you told. Not to be able to pick up the phone to hear your voice or drop by to check on you will leave my heart heavy. I take comfort in knowing you are no longer in pain, that you are now rejoicing with the Father & watching over us all who cared for you so much. I will forever miss you but I have a lifetime of wisdom & encouragement that you have shared to guide me through those tough moments in life.
Rest easy my friend you will forever be missed!
Thank you Rev. To the other son he always wanted . Your support and love on his journey helped move mountains.
Mr. Merriman was a wise man that loved to provide us guidance and direction. He will be greatly missed but never forgotten. I will miss seeing him at church on Sunday mornings being greeted with that beautiful smile and that strong hug. Praying for the family.
Thank you. He thought highly of your commitment to God, the Church , the Men’s Ministry and your family.
Dear Harold-my Brother -in-law. I will miss you. I remember telling you to hang in there in a conversation we had a few months ago -from 1 cancer survivor to another . You did say you were in pain & you didn’t know how much longer you could hold on. I said , God and you know how much more you can deal with . I think back to the visits to you , Ronnie & family & your friends in The Bronx. I was saying to Ronnie , wow I’ve known Harold a long time. Love you Harold . ✝️?
Unc! Thank you for everything. You were my “Summer Dad,” and you taught me how to get down and dirty with the boys- building and getting into technology. Those experiences have contributed to who I am today. Thank you for always “caring too much.” You and my Dad showed me that it’s okay for man to have a sensitive side & I love that about you both. I’m just glad you’re not in pain anymore because I know that had to be the hardest thing for a man who was so used to doing everything yourself. We will make sure Aunt Ronnie is okay down here, don’t worry. I love you Unc!
He was so proud of you. He would always say you grew up to be such a fine accomplished young woman. He would also say you had to slow down when driving. Always remember how much he loved you when you get behind the wheel. Love.
Thank you Sis. Your twenty plus years as a breast cancer survivor gave him Hope. God Bless.
Mr. Merriman, You will be missed by My Family and Myself. I am happy to say of our talks and fellowship – a blessing . Glad to know of another Carpenter their with you (Jesus). He has built for you a new house (mansion). Where there are No sickness and No pain.
g
And in his mansion he has found Peace. He was at Peace just knowing his friends were at his side when he needed comforting words. Thank you for being there for him.
My cousin Harold I have nothing but great memories of you. You and my dad singing “Happy Trails to You” , your fashionable dressing and that smile just to name a few. You will be missed. Love you ❣️
Thank you for sharing. He Loved his cousin Doreen.
Mr Merriman
I will greatly miss your infectious smile, your big hugs, your wisdom, and most importantly your presence. You were my prayer warrior even when I didn’t know you were praying. You lifted my name up to Gods ear. I will forever be grateful for you and Mrs Veronica. You fought a good fight, rest easy my friend.
Reverend Ce Ce it was your gift of song, your uplifting Spirit, your light that shined, your love for God that carried him through the pain many Sundays in service God Bless you.
To my loving ,caring,intelligent, God fearing, talented, funny and kind to everyone husband I will miss you. You never went anywhere without making new friends. You always said everyone likes me. You were right. You affected everyone you came in contact with. We shared you with the world and now your Father has called you home. I weep weep because my love for you is so deep but I am at peace with your peace. No more pain. As Deacon Cynthia said this scripture is very fitting. 2 Timothy 4;7 (KJV) I love you Harold and as you would say “ you loved me more”
Harold’s entire family would like to thank friends , coworkers, and residents for the feelings shared here .The reflections are so much more than just words. Thank you is barely enough for the outpour of love we have received during this time. In memory of the man we called Husband, Dad, Pops, Bother, Uncle ,Cousin and Nephew we are truly able to celebrate his journey through life. Let not your hearts be troubled. Know our loved one is in His Arms and at Peace. God Bless you all.
To my Cousin, I wouldn’t be the Man I am today if it wasn’t for you and the Love you have for me. Talking to you for hours about Saltwater aquariums and working together on Construction jobs every time you came to NY, The times you lent me your ear and just listened and spoke to my Heart meant everything. I know your looking down at us with smiles. I know your with Mom,Grandma and Reno. God is holding you in his Hands. Love you more than you would ever know. Till we meet again. “Love you Man”.
To his Cousin whom he was very proud what you’ve accomplished in life. Thank you.
“THANKS” FOR BEING MY FRIEND … “GBYS” ????
To his friend and client whom he always spoke of your expectation when performing a service. Two perfectionist God Bless you and thank you for true friendship.
Thanks for always being there for me and my boys you will always be in our hearts love you Papa Harold.
Thank you for your love and your caring heart. He loved you and the person you are.
Thank you for unconditional love and caring for my aunt for almost my entire life! You were New York original. Rest easy.
To his great conversationalist. Peace and love.
Rest In Peace, Uncle Harold.
Time is short. Family is forever. Love you.
We will truly miss you. Thank you for being a great neighbor and a greater friend. Horizon Rd will never be the same now that you’re gone. It was hard to see you go but harder to see you suffer. Rest in peace our dear friend.
You’re right , it wont be the same. In our Spirit though we can hold on to the memory of just a few months ago him riding a Hover board as he taught himself and his grandson how to ride one.
RIP, my dear brother friend. I am so thankful that We met you and my sister friend, Ronnie, and became friends when our daughters were in school together. You will most definitely be missed by so any. Yes, you are gone in the physical sense, but you will never be forgotten. Love you much!
To our life time long Sister friend how many times have we called on you ? You were always there, Thank you so much !
To my friend Harold may YOU rest in peace. I am so happy I came to spend the weekend with you and Ronnie. Know that I enjoyed seeing you guys after over 25 years. We didn’t miss a beat in conversing. I wanted to see you again, but circumstances didn’t permit it, and for that , I am sorry.. We will meet again. You are no longer in pain, and for that I am happy. Rest in Peace my brother, until we meet again. In time, the love of your life, Ronnie, will be ok. Harold don’t go up there trying to tell folks how to build an ark. ?I love you my brother ???♂️??♀️❤?
It’s taken a while to post this. I had trouble putting my sadness to words. First Malcolm, now you. Losing one brother is hard enough, two soo much harder. We both struggled with the same illness. I always thought of you during my struggle and drew from your strength. I prefer to think of all the laughter and smiles we shared when we were together. I’m glad you’re no longer in pain yet, crushed by your absence. Rest in a well deserved peace .
Thank you Bob. Although brother in laws you’ll always be uncle Bob to us. Glory to God to the survivors who were a part of his survival. The battle real. Love you.
To our forever friend from the Bronx thank you for traveling all the way from Canada to visit Harold and reminisce about the good times we had as neighbors. It meant everything to him during his last days here on earth. Love you!
Harold will forever remain alive in my ❤️ heart..
Harold, you will always remain alive in my heart.❤️
To his dear Auntie thank you for your daily calls to him.
Harold, I will never forget you and the times we all spent hanging out on the porch laughing and joking. R.I.P my friend
To our Bronx N.Y. friend of more than thirty plus years . Defining friendship meant a lot to him. Thank you.
To Harold’s Family and Friends – My deepest condolences at the loss of your husband, father, uncle, brother and friend. I had the distinct pleasure of working with Harold on the Home Builders Institute’s Project Trade. Harold was an incredible role model, mentor, and teacher to dozens of men and women seeking to build a better life. He was a consummate craftsman who passionately shared his vast knowledge of the trades, but also generously shared sage advise about life and living with integrity and also a healthy sense of humor. I very much regret that we did not connect after HBI ended, and I regret I never experienced the dance moves many of you have mentioned! Rest easy Harold, you’re a Good Man!
Harold’s friends were our friends. Cindy you remain on the photo wall in the picture you and Hal took ( as you all called him) The students of Home Builders Institute included who made a plaque for him saying thank you for teaching us a trade. Thank you for the memories.
Its hard not to be able to pick up the phone and say Dad and hear the sweet reply daughter. Throughout all these years you welcome and accepted me and I thank you for that. From words of encouragement, life lessons or a simple I love you no distance could cloud our father daughter relationship. And even as you transition to the heavens your love is unfailing. I witnessed the way you loved Mom your son and daughters. Family 1st at all times. You fought the battle and now can be pain free and rest. Now that you have your wings watch over us and know that we love you Dad.
To the daughter in law who instantly became our daughter he knew God hand picked you for our family. He loved you!
To the Merriman family _ I am so sorry for your lost may God comfort you and console you at this difficult time and may the angels be with you to guide you in healing.
Thank you to a friend who has always checked on how things were going. Thank you for sharing how to conquer what the road ahead would be like in such an illness.
M
God Always Needed Him Back. His Job Was Done Here. He Was A Blessing To Many Which Means He Has Done His Job!! He Left His Footprints and Touched Many Lives. Now Rest, No More Pain. Blessings To Everyone & May Your Hearts Be Comforted By So Many Warm Memories. Rest In Peace Harold??
Harold would say thank you to my friends who go way back. He loved his Bronx neighborhood and the life long friends he made along the way.
Thanks for the privilege of being a companion to share the last leg of your earthly journey. Grateful for the ways you enriched my life and blessed so many. Rest in the victory of God’s healing peace and rise in the light of glory friend.
I can only say he looked forward to your visits every week. For him it made Hospice bearable. He would say the conversations about God you both had were priceless. Thank you.
Pop, you taught me so much, it’s unreal. My heart hurts knowing i can never ask you for help. You always figured out a way to get something done. The times you got on me, i thought Pop give me a break, but realized later you were only helping me become a man. Words can’t describe my pain or sadness , i hear your voice, i only wish i could see your smiling face. I Love You Pop, i Miss You Pop, i’ll never be the same
To our Son in all honesty it doesn’t ever get easier . Because of our Faith and our strong family bond we will heal as a family always there for one another,. I always reminded him how difficult this has been for you. He will have God comfort you forever.
I was blessed to have known Harold since I was a young girl and I always had great respect for him as he was an amazing father, husband, and hard working man. My love and prayers go out to his family and friends as you grieve the loss of a wonderful man.
Brook thank you so much for reconnecting. Those were great days watching her children’s friends mature into their adult years. Your moms display. of raising girls was another lesson in life
Gone too soon!
All Love….All God!
Rest In Peace cousin!
Keith your conversations were needed always conversations that brought some clarity knowing more about his extended family.
Still can’t believe you’re gone. There are so many memories it would take forever to write out instead I will hold them close to my heart as well as the words of wisdom you have given me over the years. I love you and will miss you Uncle Harold.
Some of his best times were bearing witness to the choices of friends his daughters made The life long friends that would be there when you need them. Thank you for being like a sister to our daughter. Peace and love
I still can’t believe your gone. It’s just unreal. I want you to come back.
He loved you with all his heart. He named you after his Mom.