David Michael "Mike" Merritt, 70, of Blythewood, died Sunday, May 29, 2022. Born in Sacramento, CA, on January 2, 1952, he was a son of the late Billy Gene and Regula Täuber Merritt. He was married to Kathleen "Kathy" Knight for 44 years.

Mike was a graduate of the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Science in accounting but enjoyed a career as a skilled carpenter. He blessed others with his talents by volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, going on mission trips to rebuild after natural disasters, doing projects for his church family, and lending a hand to anyone in need. Whether it was patching a leaky roof or simply providing company over lunch, Mike loved helping the elderly in his community.

Throughout his life, Mike was a natural athlete. In his younger days, he played softball, baseball, tennis, and golf. Like his Swiss mother, he excelled at skiing (both in the snow and on water). Above all, Mike loved basketball. He played all his life, starting with youth basketball in church and city leagues. He kept his competitors on their toes with his jump shot and distance shots while playing for Pensacola High School and Pensacola Junior College. He even played 3 on 3 in church leagues and practiced his free throws into his golden years. To Mike, "string music" meant sinking a basketball without touching the rim of the hoop.

Mike also loved to travel. When he was young, he traveled to Zurich, Switzerland to see where his mother grew up. He also had the opportunity to combine his love of sports and travel when he attended the 1976 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. What Mike found most rewarding was seeing the world with the people he loved. He and Kathy loved taking their 3 children and pop-up camper to national parks like the Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Zion. The family has fond memories of sitting around campfires, eating picnic lunches by a creek, and hiking to waterfalls. Mike and Kathy celebrated their 40th anniversary with a two-week long river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam, stopping to enjoy the beautiful architecture and delicious food along the way.

In addition to his wife, he leaves behind his children, Amber Eckley (Wes), Megan Jones (DJ), Mark Merritt (Kristiaän); grandchildren, Trey Jones, Mackenzie Jones, Jason Jones, Linden Eckley; brother, Walter Merritt; and sister, Christine Merritt Poe (Tommy).

A service will be held at 12 o'clock, Tuesday, June 7th at North Trenholm Baptist Church, 6515 North Trenholm Road, Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends Monday evening, June 6th, from 5 until 7 o'clock at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Extension, Columbia. For those who cannot attend, a livestream of the service will be available at ShivesFuneralHome.com. A service will also be held June 18th at 1 o'clock at First Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL, 500 N Palafox St, Pensacola, FL 32501.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to North Trenholm Baptist Church at https://northtrenholm.org/give/ or to Habitat for Humanity at https://www.habitat.org/ .