Donald "Don" "Mutt" W. Meritt

Donald “Don” Wayne Meritt, a towering figure in Chesapeake Bay oyster restoration and a lifelong resident of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, passed away peacefully on May 25, 2026, at Arcadia of Denton. He was 76 years old. Born in Easton, MD, on October 24, 1949, Don was the son of the late Robert E. Meritt and Margaret Eason Meritt Tennant. Growing up along the banks of Oak Creek, he developed an early, profound connection to the water. As a boy and young man, he spent his days crabbing and fishing, eventually working as a waterman—trotlining for crabs and shaft tonging for oysters on the Miles River, Broad Creek, and the Tred Avon. Don was the first male in a large extended family to graduate from high school, a milestone heavily influenced by his high school teacher, Dick Kleen, who recognized his potential and encouraged him to pursue higher education. Don went on to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s College in 1972. His deep curiosity about the natural world eventually led him to the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned his Doctorate in 1993. His professional legacy is permanently woven into the health and history of the Chesapeake Bay. Not long out of college, Don began working at a modest, newly developing hatchery at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory located in Solomon’s, MD to study the potential for rehabilitating oyster stocks devastated by the 1972 Tropical Storm Agnes. When the program moved to the newly established Horn Point Laboratory in Cambridge, MD, Don went with it. Affectionately known simply as “Mutt,” he dedicated nearly five decades to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. As a Horn Point faculty member and a shellfish specialist for the Maryland Sea Grant Extension Program, and eventually as the Director and Program Leader of the Horn Point Laboratory Oyster Hatchery, Don transformed a modest operation using five-gallon buckets into one of the largest oyster hatcheries on the East Coast. Under his visionary leadership, dedication, and collaborative arrangements with organizations like the Oyster Recovery Partnership and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the hatchery achieved staggering, record-breaking milestones—producing billions of disease-free oyster spat annually to restore the Bay’s ecology and cultivate a thriving local aquaculture industry. Despite his academic credentials, Mutt always maintained the heart, grit, and approachability of an Eastern Shore waterman, acting as a crucial bridge between the scientific community and local watermen. Away from the hatchery, Mutt’s favorite companion and sidekick for 18 wonderful years was his beloved Basset Hound, "Snoopy," who traveled life's paths faithfully by his side. Mutt cherished the simple pleasures of life on the Eastern Shore, surrounded by the family and waters he loved so dearly. He is survived by his beloved wife, the former Joyce Horn Meritt of Easton; two sons, Christopher Handley and his wife, Claudia, of Severn, MD, and Brent Handley of Pearland, TX; and his sister, Denise Taylor and her husband, Pat, of Newcomb, MD. He is also survived by his sisters-in-law, Carol Thomas (David), Phyllis Phillips (Paul), Tammie Horn, and Rachel Horn; his brother-in-law, Glenn Horn (Brenda); and many beloved nieces, nephews, former colleagues, and lifelong friends. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his stepfather, Samuel Tennant, and his brother-in-law, Harold Horn. Mutt’s love for the outdoors led to many activities including coaching little league, softball, fishing, hunting, birding, photography, scuba diving, and traveling. The family expresses their deepest gratitude to Mutt's caregivers for their exceptional compassion, kindness, and dedication in making his final journey an easier one. The family invites friends to join them in a true Eastern Shore celebration of Mutt's life on Saturday, July 18th, 2026, at 1:00 PM at the Family Home in Newcomb, located at 25886 Walnut St., for a casual time of food, friendship, and sharing fond memories. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made in Don's honor to the Dick Kleen Fund of the Mid Shore Community Foundation (102 E. Dover St., Easton, MD 21601 www.MSCF.org), coming full circle to support the community education and opportunities that shaped his own remarkable life. For online condolences, please visit: www.fhnfuneralhome.com

Donald "Don" "Mutt" W. Meritt

October 24, 1949 - May 25, 2026