Show death Cla illis utah educator harrison R merrill errill dies after appendicitis operation r death claimed harrison R merrill 54 at his home in provo prove saturday afternoon after a re relapse lapse following an appendicitis operation it brought to a close a career of le leadership ader ship and friendship that has been felt in every part of utah where individuals and groups felt the loss in his passing and absent or present joined in a tribute to him at impressive funeral services held wednesday ay in the utah L D S stake tabernacle harrison R merrill was probes sor of journalism and director of the extension division at the brigham young university tor for several years he had been managing editor of the improvement era and a director of the desert news he was a director of the utah national parks council boy scouts of america and had held responsible positions in the L D S church an honorary member of the utah state press association he was highly esteemed by the editors of weekly newspapers in utah As a writer of poetry and prose dr merrills influence will live on C coauthor co o author of a book entitled poems of the west he gives expression to a keen understanding of nature especially of his western homeland large in stature mind and soul there was about him a refinement and congeniality that was ir A bit of his philosophy is felt when one reads his poems 1 I love the world or sunset paths or when he spoke the language of the old westerner and wrote the stocks asleep and sos my roan jest sod these spin nin stars and me alone 1 tremble with the chinin breeze that cried because they aint no trees with which to play no leaves to rustle and no twigs to bend jest prairie grass without no end I 1 have nay my hawse but somehow he seems miles and miles whole world from me for he dont seem to hear that moan or know that him and mes alone sech times as these that unknown land to me seems mighty close at hand I 1 the stars bend low and seem to see tile ile lis listening breathlessly strange things accost my mind is is blown im awe struck lonely still but not alone ne professor merrill was an active worker in the western league of writers and vas general chairman of the recent writers roundup round up in provo besides being being a poet he also composed songs a number of which have been published william F hansen of the B Y U music department who has written music to many of his songs recently announced that four songs three of them cowboy lyrics haa had been accepted for publication professor is survived by his widow two sons a daughter five brothers and two sisters one son harrison J merrill is doing graduate work at columbia university in new york |