Merva June Filler

Our dear, sweet Merva, Mom, and Grammy passed peacefully from this earth on Friday, August 14, 2009 after a long, courageous battle with Alzheimer's disease. She was 82.

Born in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Merva was the youngest of four children born to Ruth and Joseph Milligan Dye, Sr. of Woodbury Ave. She graduated from Martinsburg High School in 1945 and went on to attend and graduate from Shepherd College with a degree in Secondary Education; majoring with honors in Mathematics and Science.

Mrs. Filler began her thirty year teaching career with Baltimore County Public Schools in 1949 and retired from Towson High School in 1984.
After retiring from teaching, Merva became an integral part of the Baltimore Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame where she served as the Chapter's secretary. She loved to travel, shop, do jig-saw puzzles, collect owls and carousel horses, and sew. Her favorite past times included activities that involved the family, which adored her so.

Merva married her college sweet heart, Mel Filler, in June 1951. His daily visits to her were a testimony to their undying love. They have a daughter, Bonnie-Filler Cook and a son Curtis Lee Filler. Her son-in-law, Richard Cook, became her second son. Her grandsons, Adam Scott Cook and Matthew Walter Cook were the lights in her life. She would have loved the new additions to our family Dodie Lazzati, Amanda Witt and Brigid Moran.

In addition to the family members mentioned, Mrs. Filler is preceded in death by her brother, Joseph Dye, Jr. and older sister Marie Butts. She is survived by a sister, Mila Simpson, a loving sister-in-law Sondra Bonsall, and several nieces and nephews. Merva's generous spirit will be missed by many friends, including her angels at Madonna Heritage as well as her faithful, life long friend, Mrs. Phyllis Novak.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in the name of Merva June Dye Filler to the Alzheimer's Association or the Science Department at Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, W.Va.