Eleanor Pocius Merrill, 82, of Arnold, Former Capital-Gazette Co-Owner: Obituary

»Information from the John M. Taylor Funeral Home website.

Eleanor Pocius Merrill, 82, of Arnold, died on Friday, July 15, at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. Ellie was born on November 2, 1933 in Scranton, PA, as the youngest child of Lithuanian immigrants, John and Veronica Pocius.

She was proud of her hardscrabble upbringing and spoke fondly of the strong family and community bonds that she forged in her youth. She thrived in school and with encouragement from a teacher, became the first member of her family to attended college. She proudly graduated from Dickinson College, and with her typical spunk headed for New York City, where she worked as a press agent for many Broadway shows, including "The Sound of Music" and "Gypsy." She spoke often of meeting the writers and performers of the era, it was a glamorous time!

While living in New York she met Philip Merrill, and they began their 50-year journey together. After their marriage in 1960, Phil and Ellie moved to Washington DC, where Ellie worked as a press secretary for Senator Ken Keeting. Phil’s job in the State Department led to a year of living in India, an experience she cherished. Upon returning to the US, she and Phil started their family, with Doug, Cathy, and Nancy arriving over the next 7 years.

Phil and Ellie purchased the Capital Gazette Newspapers in 1969 and moved to Annapolis. In addition to running the household, Ellie lead the family business for three periods when Phil was called back to work in public service. Many of the paper’s most significant technical innovations (digital editing, for example) occurred under Ellie’s watch.

Ellie was a popular fixture in Annapolis and Washington. She served on the boards of the Shakespeare Theater, Ford’s Theatre, the Board of Visitors of University of Maryland School of Journalism, the Board of Advisors of Dickenson College, and the Aspen Institute. She was very proud of her service as a member of the Department of Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. She was an active and gracious hostess, and enjoyed hosting large parties several times a year at her home overlooking the Severn River.

She and Phil traveled extensively, and often with family and friends. Their adventures ranged from peaceful nights on the Chesapeake aboard their sailboat Merrilly, to safaris in Africa and cruises to Antarctica. There were few corners of the globe that she and Phil had not ventured to.

Ellie was predeceased by her parents, her sister Viola Bulauskas, her brother Stanley Pocius, and her husband, Phil.

She is survived by her children, Douglas (Lisa) Merrill of Shelburne, VT, Cathy (Paul) Merrill Williams of Washington, DC, and Nancy Merrill and her fiancé Jason Sullivan of Annapolis, MD. She is also survived by her four grandsons, Alex, Jack, Wynne, and Bryce.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Taylor Funeral Home.

A memorial will be held at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Philip Merrill Environmental Center, 6 Herndon Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403 on Friday, July 22, 2016 at noon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation or the University of Maryland School of Journalism.