Frances Ober Merritt

 Frances Ober Merritt, 80, of the Rocky Hock community, died Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at Virginia Beach Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center.

 Frances was born in Chowan County on November 15, 1944, and was the daughter of the late Paul Milton and Blanche White Ober. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by sisters Faye and Martha Ann Ober, and by brothers, Carl, David, and Scot Ober.

 A member of Rocky Hock Baptist Church, Frances was an avid home cook, and she managed the Elizabeth City Farm Fresh restaurant and the Edenton Burger King restaurant for many years. When she retired from food service at age 62, she immediately began a second career as a home healthcare worker, helping numerous patients in their own end-of-life journeys. Frances absolutely adored flowers—all kinds—and loved to putter around in her yard. Cooking and caring and loving and sharing—these were all Frances’s calling, and she took that calling very seriously. What she didn’t take seriously was life; one never knew what hilarious comment or comeback would escape from her mouth, no matter how inappropriate. Feisty Frances was one in a million. 

 Surviving are two sons, Paul Merritt (Jennifer) of Austin, Texas, and John M. Merritt (Ken) of Virginia Beach, Virginia; sisters, Mary Ellen Boyce of South Hill, Virginia, and Patsy Sheppard (Eck) of Portsmouth, Virginia, five grandchildren, Bianca, Alexis, Chloe, Robin, and Everett, and countless nieces and nephews. Family was vastly important to her, and she did her best to always keep the family together, making sure they ate well from her beloved kitchen.

 A memorial service celebrating her life will be held Friday, February 7, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Rocky Hock Baptist Church and will be conducted by the pastor, The Rev. Matt Dupuy. The burial will be private at a later time in the White Family Cemetery near her home place.

 Friends are invited to speak with the family immediately following the service at a reception in the family life center. Miller and Van Essendelft Funeral Home & Crematory, 735 Virginia Road, is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.