Josh Merritt became at peace the morning of January 31 but his family will never be the same. Please help them say farewell to him and heal as a family.

Please send condolences, memories, photos, and videos to for.josh.merritt@gmail.com for the family to keep.

Please consider contributing to a meal train for the family, as well:  https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/9wgqnv

Josh burst into the world just before Christmas in 2000 and made sure everyone knew he'd arrived. Josh lived a big life - he loved fiercely, felt strongly, and thought deeply.  Introspective like his father and a force of nature like his mother, Josh valued authenticity and living a life of self-awareness. He was never too busy or too cool for his little brother, Jacob, and made sure anyone close to him knew how important they were. While Josh adored and cared for all the family pets, it was Bailey, the family's troublesome hound, who chose Josh as her person, seeing his intrinsic gentleness and a kindred spirit. 

"Go big or go home," Josh would say, and soar through the air on his skateboard. He could glide with ease down a full flight of stairs on his deck, yet he very humbly never recognized the extent of his skill and natural talent as others did. He was adventurous in every sense, enjoying a diverse array of culinary flavors, exploring as much of the country as he could, and becoming an expert in health and fitness to get stronger every day. He enjoyed losing himself to his favorite music, including Machine Gun Kelly and Juice WRLD, once taking his brother to a surreal concert by Trippie Redd. 

Like his father, Josh felt a sense of awe in the mountains, a constant source of inspiration. Tranquility could be found at his grandma's cottage in Wisconsin, where solitude and quiet provided calm in a hectic world. He enjoyed teaming up with his brother Nathan to tease cousins, and loved his little sister Anna. Among his many friends could be counted his affectionate mother, his dear Uncle Danny, as well as Andy, Joseph, and Frank.

The Merritt family deserves the time, space, and a beautiful place to send Josh on his way as he begins his journey wandering through the Elysian Fields, like so many heroes before him. The family is grateful for the support of their community of family and friends.

There is no night without a dawning
No winter without a spring
And beyond the dark horizon
Our hearts will once more sing…
For those who leave us for a while
Have only gone away
Out of a restless, care worn world
Into a brighter day.

-Helen Steiner Rice

Please Note: You do NOT need a PayPal account to contribute. You can choose the Checkout as Guest option. Thank you!