William Merritt Romans, 99, of Lampasas, died on Oct. 1, 2025, at Lampasas Nursing and Rehab.
Funeral services will be held at Lampasas Methodist Church on Oct. 18 at 11 a.m., with visitation one hour prior. Burial will follow at Lometa City Cemetery.
Merritt was born on Aug. 8, 1926, in Lometa to Thomas Edward and Edna Bell White Romans. He grew up in Lampasas.
He joined the U.S. Army in 1944 and served for two years during World War II. He was discharged in 1945, achieving the rank of sergeant.
He then returned to Lampasas to graduate from high school. After that, he attended North Texas State University, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education.
He began his career in Forsan as a high school biology teacher and girls’ varsity basketball coach. He finished his career in Georgetown as an elementary principal. Merritt retired in 1983 after 33 years.
He was involved in Lampasas Methodist Church, a member of the Lampasas County Museum board, and put together a 4000-squarefoot gem and mineral collection he gladly shared with the community. Many students, Scouts and adults toured the collection.
Merritt married Betty Jane Blackwood in 1948 in Lampasas. They were married for 51 years.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jane Romans; a grandson, William Dean Brown; his sister Mary and husband Peach Smith; his sister Rose and husband Jim Holcomb; his sister Alberta Jo and husband Fred Shores; his brother Tom Romans; his sister Ruth and husband Doug Kellogg; a nephew, Ron Holcomb; and his friend of over 20 years, Dorothy Duncan.
Merritt is survived by his daughter, Rita and husband Ed Brown; grandsons Jeremy Brown and wife Cynthia, and Nathan Brown and wife Marissa; granddaughterin- law, Lana; nine greatgrandchildren, Jose, Alexia, Landry, Ashley, Nolan, Watson, Evelyn, Selah and Milam; nephews Tom Kellogg and wife Sharon, Jim Kellogg and wife Elizabeth, and Paul Kellogg and wife Robin Curtis; his niece, Karen Holcomb; and numerous great-nieces and greatnephews.
The family requested memorial donations be made to Lampasas Methodist Church or Lampasas County Museum.
