Amos B. Merriweather

To my Aunt Belinda and Wendy: Keep your head up and be happy. That's what Amos would want you both to do. I am there for you if you need me. Love, Lynn

In Loving Memory of My Uncle Amos

Today, I want to offer my deepest sympathy, love, and comfort to my family as we remember and celebrate the life of my Uncle Amos. Losing someone we love is never easy, but I believe that one of the greatest gifts we can hold onto are the memories they left behind—the laughter, the lessons, the love, and the moments that become a part of us forever.

When I think of Uncle Amos, one of the first things that comes to mind is just how funny he was. He had a way of making you laugh and turning ordinary moments into memories that would stay with you for a lifetime.

I have so many childhood memories of him. I remember sitting and eating big tubs of popcorn with Uncle Amos. As kids, he would make a muscle with his arm, and we would hang from his arms like he was the strongest man in the world. To us, he really was. Those simple moments may have seemed small back then, but today, they mean so much to me. One memory I will never forget takes me back to Boxtown, when I was around 12 or 13 years old and learning how to drive. Uncle Amos let me drive his old Ford pickup truck. Looking back now, I have to wonder what he was thinking letting a 12- or 13-year-old drive that truck! 😂 But that was Uncle Amos.

My brother Michael decided he wanted to get on the back of the truck, so off we went. We drove and drove until we eventually reached the cemetery. Uncle Amos asked me to turn the truck around. We were driving down a gravel road, and he told me to make a left. Well, he meant make a left a little further down the road. But I didn't understand what he meant.

Instead, I turned left straight into the grass of the cemetery! Before I knew it, I was driving across the cemetery, around the tombstones, and then—BOOM!—I wrecked that old Ford pickup truck right into a huge tree. Michael went flying off the back, and I was scared out of my mind.

I looked over at Uncle Amos, expecting him to be angry or upset. Instead, he busted out laughing!

That was Uncle Amos. He could find humor in the craziest situations. What could have been a terrible memory became one of those family stories that we could laugh about for years.

But Uncle Amos was more than funny. He was a man who showed me through his actions what being a husband, father, and protector looked like.

Watching Uncle Amos and my Aunt Belinda together has always reminded me of my own family. When I look at Belinda and Wendy, I see pieces of my own family and my own life. In some ways, I see myself in Belinda, and I see my daughter in Wendy. And when I think about the kind of husband I wanted and the kind of man I believed my family deserved, I can honestly say that Uncle Amos helped shape that understanding for me.

His work ethic, values, and dedication as a dad showed me what I should accept and what I should expect from a husband and father. He showed me that a man should work hard for his family, stand beside his family, protect his family, and be present when his family needs him.

Uncle Amos was a protector.

Whenever my Aunt Carolyn needed him to fight a battle, he was right there beside her. And standing right beside Uncle Amos was my Aunt Belinda. They showed what it meant to stand together, to have each other's back, and to face life as a family.

Those are the things that stay with you.

As children, we don't always realize the lessons adults are teaching us. We just remember the laughter, the hugs, the food, the jokes, and the things we did together. But as we grow older, we look back and realize that those people were teaching us about life without even knowing it.

Uncle Amos taught me through his example.

He taught me about hard work. He taught me about family. He taught me about being a protector. He taught me about standing beside the people you love. And most importantly, he taught me that you can be strong and still know how to laugh.

When I think about him now, I don't just think about losing him. I think about the little girl I was when I was hanging from his arm, eating popcorn by the tubs, and driving that old Ford pickup truck through a cemetery! 😂

I think about his laugh.

I think about his strength.

I think about the way he stood beside his family.

And I think about the values he demonstrated that I carry with me today.

To Aunt Belinda, Wendy, and the entire family, I pray that God gives you strength, comfort, and peace. May the love that Uncle Amos gave you continue to surround you, and may the memories you shared bring you comfort in the days ahead.

Sometimes a person's greatest legacy isn't what they leave behind materially. It's the people they loved, the lives they touched, the lessons they taught, and the memories that continue to make us smile long after they're gone.

Uncle Amos left all of that with us.

So today, through the tears, I choose to smile when I remember him. I choose to remember that laugh. I choose to remember that old Ford truck, Michael flying off the back, and Uncle Amos sitting there laughing after I crashed into that tree.

Because that's how I want to remember my Uncle Amos—with love, laughter, strength, family, and a lifetime of memories.

Rest peacefully, Uncle Amos. ❤️

Thank you for being the uncle who let us hang from your arms, shared popcorn with us, trusted a 12-year-old to drive his truck, and somehow found the humor in everything.

You will be deeply missed.

But you will never, ever be forgotten. 🙏🏽❤️

Our staff will continue to keep your family in our prayers. We thank you for allowing us to serve your family.