HAMPTON — Ada May Merrill, 83, of Hampton, died Friday, May 2, 2014, at Webster at Rye, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born May 7, 1930, the daughter of the late Eugene A. and E. Lillian (George) Heal.

Ada was raised in Hampton Falls, attended Lincoln Akerman Elementary School and graduated from Hampton Academy with the Class of 1948. She later graduated from New England Baptist School of Nursing in Boston as a registered nurse.

Mrs. Merrill worked for a short time at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, Mass. She then became the nurse at the practice of the late Dr. Wayne P. Bryer in Hampton for nearly 15 years.

She spent the next 30 years as the school nurse at both the Lincoln Akerman School in Hampton Falls and the Barnard School in South Hampton, until her retirement.

She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church as well as St. Andrew's-by-the—Sea Church in Rye Beach. She also attended the First Congregational Church of Hampton with her husband and was a member of the Ladies Guild of the Congregational Church.

She was also a member of the Portsmouth Country Club, Hampton Historical Society, was a 50-year member of the Profile Automobile League and enjoyed playing cards, especially bridge.

She will lovingly be remembered for her quick wit, sense of humor and sending of cards for any occasion.

Ada's friends and family always enjoyed her fabulous cooking and baking. Attending one of her dinner parties was always a treat. Everyone looked forward to going to the parties to see what unique hat Ada would wear for the occasion.

She shared 61 years of marriage with her husband, Russell A. Merrill.

In addition to her husband, family members include two sons, Dean Merrill and his wife, Deborah, of Exeter, and Geoffrey Merrill and his wife, Marjorie, of East Kingston; her daughter, Lisa Spring and her husband, John, of Pembroke; six grandchildren, Patricia Balsone, Kimberly Merrill, Jillian and Emily Spring, and Christina and Jennifer Merrill; two nieces and two nephews.

She was predeceased by her brother, Eugene A. Heal Jr.

SERVICES: Visiting hours will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, her birthday, at the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. A celebration of life service will be held and announced at a later date in June at St. Andrew's-by-the-Sea, 30 Church Road, Rye Beach. Private interment will be in the High Street Cemetery, Hampton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrew's-by-the-Sea, P.O. Box 555, Rye Beach, NH 03871-0555, or to the First Congregational Church Baby Closet, 127 Winnacunnet Road, Hampton, NH 03842.