Anna Ruth Peavy Merritt

Anna Ruth Peavy Merritt, age 99, of Ft. Walton Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2026. She was so excited about her upcoming birthday this month and would already tell everyone she was 100 years of age! What a celebration in Heaven there must have been. 

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Hathorn Funeral Home in Columbia for Ruthie. The family will receive guests on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 1:00 PM until the time of the service at Hathorn Funeral Home in Columbia. Graveside services will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia.

Ruthie was born in Monticello, MS, on September 28, 1926, to Colon C. and Vera Izettia Harrison Peavy. She finished school in Monticello but was living in Columbia when she met and married Nelson Merritt in 1947. Although they kept their home base in Columbia, Nelson’s job as an operating engineer with a major pipeline company allowed her to travel extensively with him in their beloved Airstream, proudly boasting of living in every state but four and making lifelong friends along the way.

After retirement, they resided in Columbia, where their creekside home and gardens became the “Location Destination” for every holiday and family reunion, not to mention numerous garden weddings and other special occasions. She was in her glory cooking and entertaining for as many as forty guests at any given event, even making four-tiered wedding cakes! She was happiest when surrounded by friends and family, loving her nieces and nephews like grandchildren. Although she never had biological children of her own, she helped raise and was like a mother to many.

Upon Nelson’s death in 2002, she moved to Ft. Walton Beach, where she continued to make new friends, pursue her gardening hobbies, and entertain friends and family until her late nineties, when her health began to decline.

Many may remember her awesome Southern cooking and specialty cakes and desserts. Many may remember her cheerful and super sales abilities at Ouida’s in downtown Columbia. Many may remember turning the hand crank of her homemade ice cream churn. Many may remember shelling peas and butterbeans in return for her taking us water skiing at Lake Columbia. Many may remember that she whittled constantly, was a shopaholic, and had her pilot’s license at one time! But all who knew her will remember her as fiercely loyal, loving unconditionally, and possessing an innate ability to make you feel special. Her Southern charm, strength, kindness, joy in simple pleasures, and love of life will live on in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to know her.

Ruthie was preceded in death by her husband, Nelson; parents; sister Donice Carter (Sam Carter and Lyle Grover); brothers John Peavy (Rebecca) and Levoy Peavy (Bettie); and nephew Michael Peavy.

She is survived by two sisters Mary Elizabeth “Beth” Peavy Banes (Stan) and Marie Peavy Leibold (Bill);  A niece Evelyn Peavy; nephews Rob Banes (Lori), Matthew Banes (Melissa), Scott Banes (Karen), Micah Banes, Erik Leibold, Kevin Leibold (Andrea), and Colin Peavy; great-nieces Keilana Leibold, Marlee Leibold, Stella Leibold, Maven Leibold, Katie Banes, Noah Kovach, and Sabrina Peavy; great-nephews Roman Leibold, Colten Banes, Hunter Banes, Dillon Banes, Parker Jones, and Peyton Jones; great-great-niece Ariabella Peavy; and special family Mikell Beasley (Mary), Melissa Beasley (Josh), Mike Beasley (Chasity), Matthew Beasley (Crystal), and their families.

Hathorn Funeral Home in Columbia is in charge of the arrangements. Family and friends may sign an online guestbook at www.hathornfuneralhome.com.