CAMBRIDGE | John Irvin Merriman, born Dec. 15, 1931, in the hamlet of Coila. He moved with his parents to the old Fred Green Farm on Battenville Road, in Jackson. It later became the Merriman Turkey Farm. John worked on the farm with his parents and milked cows from the age of nine. Shortly thereafter, they went into the turkey business also and raised 5,000 turkeys a year. In 1950, his dad died, he graduated from Cambridge High School and in 1951 he married the one and only love of his life, Barbara Dornan. He continued farming but purchased an old sawmill in 1958, on Plains Road off Route 313 in Jackson.

Over the years, John and Barbara had five children: Stephen, Michael, Daniel, Cheryl and Timothy. John started building a brand new, completely automated sawmill in 1971 and finished in 1973. He formed a partnership with his wife Barbara and B & J Lumber Co. was born. He operated it successfully and decided to sell out to Lincoln Log Homes in 1986. John also liked to grow cow corn on the side and planted several hundred acres a year until 2004 when he retired due to illness. If he could have, he would never have retired. He once said, “I have a perfect life, a wonderful wife, a great family, and I love everything I do.”

John was a member of the Cambridge United Presbyterian Church for 65 years. He was a member of the Masons for more than 50 years and was a Master of the Masonic Lodge in Cambridge. He was one of the 10 original charter members of the Cambridge Valley Flying Club. He loved animals with a passion and rescued them constantly. John and Barb danced every week anywhere they could, both enjoying it tremendously.

John died Aug. 3, 2015 of Alzheimers disease. He is survived by his wife Barbara. They were married for more than 64 years. Also, his sister Aileen Langlois; his children, Stephen (Elaine), Michael (Julia), Daniel (Amanda) and Cheryl Merriman.

He was predeceased by his son, Timothy Merriman; his grandchildren, Jason Merriman, Lindsay Merriman, Ashley Welch, Stephen Merriman, Alex Merriman, Angelina Merriman, Brandon Merriman, Stephenie VerKamp, Melissa Merriman, Samuel Merriman and seven great-grandchildren.

A wake will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, at Ackley, Ross & Gariepy Funeral Home, 73 W. Main St., Cambridge. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Cambridge United Presbyterian Church, 81 E. Main St., Cambridge.

Interment will be at Woodlands Cemetery in Cambridge.

Donations can be made in John’s memory to The Cambridge Valley Rescue Squad, 37 Gilbert St., Cambridge, NY 12816 or The Humane Society of the United States, P.O. Box 96930, Washington, DC 20090-6930.

To offer online condolences, please visit www.ackleyrossfuneralhome.com