Audrey Merritt

I want to tell a short account of a woman who will be missed, Audrey Merritt, my wife. I never figured out how many times she had married me but I know she had 11 children. When we married she only had two still alive. One died exactly nine months after the wedding. When I met her, she gave Christmas gifts to the people around her who needed help during the giving season. After her daughter Chrystie died, she founded Chrystie's Kids as a charitable organization under her tax exempt Love On 4 Paws, an animal rescue for injured pets and pet food pantry for the elderly. For several years with the community’s help, Chrystie's Kids worked to ensure a better holiday for children. This was accomplished with the help of God, an angel tree at Walmart where people could choose a specific child, Toys for Tots, and donations of items from many other organizations. HEB, the Ennis Police Officers Association, VFW Post 7106 and other donations ensured all the families receiving aid were at least able to have a better Christmas meal. She always accepted anything that was offered and worked to guarantee that people’s needs were filled. When she saw a need in the community she worked to find a way to meet the need. She paid for several people to get a meal and or a place to stay when they had none. She helped others in their projects to help people. These are all things she enjoyed doing and worked as hard for other organizations as she did for her own. One might think that even though she had physical issues that she would have been held back, but that was never the case. Tonight when you go to sleep, pleases say a prayer for God to provide someone in the community to fill her shoes. She is at peace and never sought recognition, but did occasionally accept appreciation certificates. Tribute The Queenie Foundation is deeply saddened to say that Audrey Merritt, our Vice President and one of my dearest friends, passed away early this morning from a prolonged illness. Audrey worked tirelessly for decades rescuing and placing homeless and displaced dogs in Ellis County, TX, just south of Dallas. She was the Founder and President of Love on 4 Paws (LO4P) followed by the North Ellis County Animal Awareness Program (NECAAP). When I moved from Dallas to Manchester, she agreed to continue The Queenie Foundation’s work in Dallas/FT. Worth by creating a dog rescue/adoption program; The Queenie Foundation was originally founded as a humane education organization. Literally thousands of dogs were saved and found loving homes because of Audrey, many of them severely injured. Sick and injured dogs were lovingly nursed back to health with the help of a local veterinarian and then adopted to their forever guardians. I met Audrey in early 1996 when I was producing, writing and hosting my community access program, Paws for Affection, at Dallas Community Television. She was running LO4P and welcomed my request to interview her about the organization and her dog rescue/adoption program. We became friends and collaborated on various projects. She assisted The Queenie Foundation with our International Homeless Animals’ Day event (IHAD) for several years and in 2004 we honored and presented her with our Candlelight Award at that event. To say that Audrey will be sorely missed would not even begin to explain how those of us who knew and loved her feel. I regret that homeless and displaced dogs will not reap the benefit now of a benefactor such as Audrey. Animal protection is Job One, Enid Breakstone, M.Ed Founder and Executive Director The Queenie Foundation, Inc. Animal protection through humane education and rescue/adoption