File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elaine Turk Nell http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00017.html#0004116 January 8, 2006, 6:47 pm   clipping from unknown, undated newspaper Adm. Sappington

Graveside services for retired Navy Rear Adm. Merrill Sappington, 63, of McLean, Va., were at 9 a.m. Monday in the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. Adm. Sappington, who retired in 1975 after 33 years in the Navy, died Monday of cancer. A former resident of Barnesville, Adm. Sappington was a veteran of World War II. During his naval career, he served as a commanding officer of the USS E. A. Green, the USS Galveston, Destroyer Division 22, the Naval Ordinance Systems Command, and the Weapons Systems Evaluation Group. Adm. Sappington served in the office of the assistant secretary of Navy for research and development at the Las Cruces White Sands Proving Ground in Las Cruces, N. M. and with the Operations Test and Evaluation Force in Norfolk, Va. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Kathryn Brill Sappington; sons, John Sappington and Jay Sappington, both of Ann Arbor, Mich.; daughter, Miss Barbara Sappington of Denver, Colo.; parents, Brig. Gen. and Mrs. Homer Sappington of Barnesville; and a sister, Mrs. Althea Bergtholdt of Cape Cod, Mass.   Additional Comments: Homer Merrill Sappington was born 30 September 1920 and was the son of Homer Arthur Sappington and Almeda "Allie" Elizabeth (Means) Sappington. He married Kathryn Louise Brill on 14 August 1942 in Mobile, Alabama. She died 14 December 2002.

Barnesville News-Gazette June 22, 1939

Merrill Homer Sappington, son of Mr. and Mrs. Homer A. Sappington, left
here Monday for Annapolis, Maryland, where he has enrolled as a student in the
United States Naval Academy.

Young Sappington was graduated Summa Cum Laude from Gordon Military
College this spring. During his school days here he made an excellent
scholastic and military record. As a student of Gordon Grammar School he was
the winner in essay contests for three successive years when he was a member
of the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. He also won the Civitan medal
presented to the pupil with the highest average in American history.
He was the winner of the declamation medal offered during his sophomore
year in high school and was presented the Sophomore scholarship award given by
Dr. C. H. Willis the same year. In his junior year he was again the winner in
an essay contest.

Merrill was valedictorian of his class as he graduated from high school
in 1937 and maintained his scholastic level through Junior college. He was
captain of Company E during the year 1937-'38.
For the past three years he has been a member of the Gordon Sabre club.
Last year he served as a member of the staff of Taps, Gordon Annual, and was
editor of the Reveille, school newspaper.

Rifle Marksmanship.
Sappington has long been recognized for his skill as a marksman. He was
first a member of the Junior National Rifle Association, and later a member of
the Gordon Rifle team and a member of the ROTC rifle team. While encamped at
Ft. McClellan , Alabama, he won the trophy for the highest scorer there and was
elected to represent the Fourth Corps area at Camp Perry, Ohio, last summer.
At Camp Perry he captured the trophy offered the highest scorer from the
Fourth Corps Area. As a member of the rifle team of Company B, Georgia National Guard, he
has also won many honors.

High Ranking Scout
Long a member of the Boy Scouts of America, Sappington has attained the
highest rank offered in scoutin--the Eagle Scout rank. He has won 42 merit
badges, twice the number required of an Eagle Scout. Since becoming an Eagle
Scout he has been awarded the bronze, sliver and gold palms.
Merrill has been of great assistance to local scoutmasters during recent
years. He has served as assistant scoutmaster and has aided in directing many
of the scout's activities.

Joins Smith of Forsyth
At Annapolis Sappington will be a classmate of Richard Parker Smith of
Forsyth. Smith also left an outstanding record at Gordon and was graduated
Summa Cum Laude this spring.

Additional Comments:
Merrill Sappington's skills as a marksman continued to be acknowledged during
his years at the Naval Academy. He was captain of the Small-Bore Rifle Team,
was named to the All-American Rifle Team in 1942, and was presented the
Secretary of the Navy's Rifle Trophy at graduation.

[according to an obituary
from an unnamed newspaper dated 3 Dec. 1983.]