Thomas Edwin Merritt

Thomas Edwin Merritt, 53, of Chilton, Texas, was called home on March 6, 2023. Thomas was born October 12, 1969 in Waco, Texas to Thomas Parker Layne and Betty Jo Layne. Thomas was one of 15 children between Thomas and Betty. Thomas was a Veteran of the United States Air Force. He loved watching his Dallas Cowboys. You will be able to catch him at the lake fishing and asking anyone he could to go fishing with him. If he wasn't fishing, he was playing dominos with friends and family. Thomas had such a huge heart. He helped anyone and everyone anyway that he could. He loved staying busy and did not like staying home, always on the go. He especially loved spending time with his kids and grandkids and his brother, Marc. He is preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Parker Layne and Betty Jo Layne; his brothers Kenneth "Ray" Benton and Tommy Layne, Robbie and Michael and sister Gloria Jean. He is survived by ten siblings, brothers Marc Layne, Paul Layne, Rick Layne and Donald Carver; sisters Diane Schwarck, Carolyn "Mullins" Carver, Pat Herrera, Loretta Cureton, Teresa Jordan and Cletha Tyler. Five children Valenzia Brinkley, Kendall James, Alexus Merritt, Bre'Onna Merritt and Corey Merritt; four grandchildren, Levi James, Recoe Patterson Jr, Cashton Jones and Emerlyn Villareal. The mothers of his children, Angie Johnson, Dorothy Brinkley and Kay Foster will continue to keep his name alive to his children along with grandchildren and with all his other family he has left behind. Thomas was truly loved and will be missed dearly!! Services will be at Dossman Funeral Home, Belton Texas on Friday, March 17th, 2023, at 4:00pm DAD'S JOURNEY: Don't think of Dad as gone away, His Journey's just begun, Life Holds so many facets, This earth is only one, Just think of Dad resting, From Sorrow and tears, In a place of warmth and comfort, Where there are no days and years, Think how dad must be wishing, That we could know today, How nothing but our sadness, Can really pass away, And think of Dad as living, In the Hearts of those he touched, For nothing Loved is ever lost.