Dr. Raymond Merchant (1902-1957)
Dr. Merchant, 54, Dies Suddenly Of Heart Attack
Dr. Raymond Merchant, 54, died very suddenly at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, of a coronary thrombosis, while at work at the U.S. Steel Company's Gary hospital, where he had been an associate of Dr. Joseph Donchess since 1945. He was associated with Dr. John A. Mirro of Lowell from 1950 thru 1952, and was on the staff at St. Mary's hospital in Kankakee, where he had served on the hospital's board of directors.Dr. Merchant was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Masonic lodge.
He was born October 28, 1902, in Brook, Ind., the son of Samuel and Ellen (Cook) Merchant. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from DePaul University in 1924, and his Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1928. He was conferred his M.D. from Rush Medical university in Chicago in 1932. In 1934 he married Naomi Shankland of Hamlet, who preceded him in death in 1946. In 1947 he married Shirley Hambridge.
Dr. Merchant lived at Lake Village from 1935 to 1946, when he moved to Lake County. In 1953 he returned to Lake Village where he built a new home and office. Highly esteemed, the prominent doctor enjoyed a very successful private practice.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley; a daughter, Mrs. Mary Kay Bruce of Schneider; a son, James, a student at Davereux School in Pennsylvania; brothers, John of Morocco, and Myron of Cote, Wy. and sisters, Miss Cora Merchant of Schneider, and Mrs. Laura Odle of Lake Village. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Walter and Chauncey, and three sisters, Bertha Brunton, Clara Myers, and Hattie Shallenburger.
Memorial services were conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, February 12, in the Presbyterian Church at Lake Village with Rev. E.L. Worley of Lowell and Rev. Ivan Woods of Huntington, officiating.
Interment was made in the Lake Village cemetery.
Arrangements were in charge of the Eskridge Funeral home in Lowell
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