Peggy Bruce Merritt

Peggy Bruce Merritt, 89, died from complications of a hip fracture at Flaget Memorial Hospital on Friday, April 20, 2012. She was born Peggy Bruce Hunt in Bartlesville, Okla., on Dec. 4, 1922, and served in the U.S. Navy (Waves) in World War II. Peggy held a master's degree in English and taught English literature and home economics in Anchorage, Alaska, for 20 years. She was an avid reader, letter writer, photographer and made photographic scrapbooks and was an expert seamstress, making many of her clothes. She also enjoyed cooking and baking and loved to entertain in her home. She entered the Mrs. America contest in the 1960s and won the Mrs. Anchorage title and was runner-up for Mrs. Alaska. Peggy had many friends all over the country and belonged to the Beta Sigma Phi sorority for most of her adult life. She traveled extensively, both in the U.S. and abroad. Peggy is preceded in death by her parents, Eva and Dudley Hunt; two husbands, Billy Gene Ames and William Merritt; brother, Dudley Hunt; sister, Sara Joyce Cooper. She lost three of her four children while she lived; Leah McChristian of Arkansas, Mark Nelson Ames of Alaska and Florida and Joseph Bruce Ames of Arkansas. She is survived by her son, Dr. A. Dudley Ames and her daughter-in-law, Andrea Ames, both residing in Bardstown, Ken.; four granddaughters, Ramona Fennern and Christine Knapp, both of Minnesota, Katrina Ames of Arkansas, and Jessica Ames of Alaska; four grandsons, Gary Ames of Springdale, Ark., William Ames and Joseph Ames Jr., both of Arkansas, and Nick Ames of Alaska; and 11 great-grandchidren. As per her wishes, there will be no funeral. A memorial service will be planned at a later date.