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Classmate Merritt Winstead passed away on Saturday at Roxboro Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center where he had resided for about a year and a half. Merritt was in declining health and very sick when he developed Covid-19. Our sympathy to his wife Carol and family in their loss. Condolences may be made on the B&W website at https://www.brooksandwhite.com/obituaries/John-Merritt-Winstead?obId=19523200#/obituaryInfo or to Carol Winstead, 469 Shiloh Church Rd., Roxboro NC 27574-9393
John Merritt Winstead, 70, of Roxboro, died Saturday, January 2, 2021. Born in Person County, he was the son of the late Harry Wharton Winstead, Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Merritt Winstead, who survives. In addition to his father, he is preceded in death by his daughter, Elizabeth Winstead. Mr. Winstead was the owner and operator of the computer repair business Stix, Inc.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Carol Ann Winstead of the home; son, John M. Winstead, Jr. of Alexandria, VA; brother, Wharton Winstead, Jr. and wife, Kathryn of Asheville; two sisters: Jo Catharine of Oak Island and Betsy Allen and husband, Archie of Winston-Salem; nephew, Sim Winstead of Roxboro and niece, Beth graves of Dublin, OH.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116-7023.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John Merritt Winstead please visit our Tribute Store.
https://www.brooksandwhite.com/obituaries/John-Merritt-Winstead?obId=19523200#/obituaryInfo
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William Sterling Yoder
Perhaps inappropriate at this hour, but I have one abiding memory of Merritt that I can't help but share. In the class of one of our most stern battle axe teachers - whose name I won't mention - Several of us dared Merritt to say 'speak of the devil' when she entered the room. Never one to turn down a dare, Merritt did - loud enough for us in the back row to hear and certainly loud enough for her to hear. I don't remember what his punishment was, but I remember thinking I was about to witness my first high school homicide. Another memory is when we were playing midget footfall in grade school. Somehow he and I got tangled up, and my shoe got up under his face mask, where I put a cleat up one of his nostrils. It was a bloody mess. He was on the ground, obviousdly, and I cdertainly wasn't trying to hurt him. But I remember his mother coming out of the stands headed straight for me. I never ran so fast on a football field as I did that night. It's a shame I didn't have football in my hands.
Ann Elizabeth Lester (Mayhew)
Having grown up with Merritt, what I remember the most about him was his intelligence and his
mischevious nature. His cousin Kay Merritt Brown and I spent time in the old buildings on their
property making up scary stories. We swam in their pool and enjoyed his mother's warm greetings.
Merritt one time locked the back door to the 8th grade seperate building so that those of us
returning from band practice could not get in. It was winter and there was snow on the ground so
I was the one who got battered with snow balls while Merritt stood inside smiling.
I think all the girls had crushes on him at one point.
He will be miss by many. Rest in peace sweet friend.
Ann Lester Mayhew