Posted January 21, 2014

Lenore Angela Devlin Merrick of West Caln, Chester County, died Jan. 14 at age 73.

Born in Philadelphia, her late parents Willis Hulett Devlin and Lauretta Alston Campbell divorced when Lenore was young and she was raised by her paternal grandparents while maintaining a loving relationship with her mother.

She was educated in schools of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and graduated from West Catholic Girls High School in 1958. She earned an associate’s degree in education from St. Joseph’s University.

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Lenore worked as an early childhood educator at St. Ignatius and St. Teresa schools and was one of the first African-American teachers in the archdiocese. She also worked at several nursery schools. After many years of teaching she worked in youth services and social services for Chester County. She worked until the effects of multiple sclerosis caused her to stop.

Lenore married her high school sweetheart, David, on July 25, 1959, and they raised five children: Angela, Beth, Jill, David and Paul. The family lived in West Philadelphia, Paoli and West Chester. In the last 11 years Lenore and David resided in West Caln Township.

Lenore’s interests and hobbies included flower arranging, crafting, gardening, bird watching and movies. She was an animal lover and was particularly fond of Siberian huskies, cats and horses. She also enjoyed domestic travel and had the opportunity to visit many cities with Charleston, S.C. being her favorite.

Lenore was a warm, nurturing spirit and she provided love, encouragement and guidance to her children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews, and family friends.

Despite her progressive and debilitating illness, she rarely complained despite her pain and discomfort. Her consistent and positive outlook on life was grounded in her faith and spirituality, which was inspirational to many she encountered over the years.

Lenore is survived by her loving and dedicated husband David W. Merrick Jr., four children, Beth L. Staples (Randy), Jill M. Robinson (Fred), David Christopher Merrick (Denise) and Paul Ashley Merrick (Victor Nevilles); two sisters, Marlene Pritchett and Pamela D. Campbell; two brothers, Mark Campbell and Wendell “Buddy” Devlin; seven grandsons and numerous other family members and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Lenore’s name to the Multiple Sclerosis Society-Greater Delaware Valley Chapter, 30 South 17th Street, Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19103.