Mary Hold Merrill (Rusnak)

Calais – Mary Merrill, 96, passed away Friday, September 11, 2020 at Marshall Healthcare in Machias. Mary was born in Kosice, Czechoslovakia on May 12, 1924, daughter of George and Helen (Yurco) Rusnak.

Mary immigrated to the United States in 1926 through Ellis Island. During the war, she worked at National Pneumatic Company in New Jersey. It was there that Mary met her future husband, Elston Hold. The next year they moved to Elston’s hometown of Princeton. Mary opened her own beauty salon, Mary’s Beauty Shop, which she owned and operated until 1977. Elston and Mary also owned and operated the local movie theater in Princeton, Lakeview Theater. After the passing of her beloved Elston, Mary married Atwood Merrill in 1974 and they moved to Calais. Mary continued operating her beauty shop in her home in Calais until 2007. She enjoyed sewing, cooking, flower gardening, and watching movies. Mary was a Communicant of Immaculate Conception Church in Calais.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her first husband, Elston Hold; her second husband Atwood Merrill; infant daughter Caron Helen Hold; sons Robert and Gerald Merrill; a great-grandson Jacob Hold; and two brothers-in-law, George Tiernan and Warren Stevens; Surviving are her children, Elston “Greg” Hold and wife Shirley of FL, Helen Adams and husband Earl of Calais, Thomas Merrill and wife Gemma of CT, Arleigh Merrill and wife Deborah of FL, and Patricia Ross of SC; her grandchildren, James and companion Samantha, Christina and companion David, Trevor and wife Tova, Brett and wife Ann, Amanda and husband Justin, Elston, and William and wife Carla; great-grandchildren, Cole, Carson, Delaney, Tristan, Eden, Kiarra, Aiden, Charlotte, Todd, Carl ,Sherry, Susie, John, Peggy, Jeremy, Lacey, Danielle, Eleanor, and Christopher; three sisters, Emma Gilbert and husband Robert of VA, Dorothy Stevens of NJ, and Helen Grunwald and husband Richard of NJ; and many nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held 6 – 8 p.m. Sunday, September 13, 2020 at Mays Funeral Home, 26 Church St., Calais. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Kevin J. Martin 1 p.m. Monday, September 14 at Immaculate Conception R.C. Church, Calais Ave, Calais. The funeral will be also aired at 11:00am LIVE-stream on Saint Kateri Tekakwitha Parish Facebook page. Please adhere to CDC guidelines for public gatherings. Alternatively, all are invited to attend the graveside service immediately following the Mass service. Burial will follow in Princeton Cemetery. Donations in Mary’s memory may be made to a charity of one’s choice.