Haley Dawn Merriman, age 42, passed away peacefully at her home, surrounded by family on March 11, 2026, in Fort Scott, KS.
Haley was born in Fort Scott, KS on July 18, 1983, to Don and Terri Shelton. She was raised in the Fort Scott and Uniontown area. Haley was best described as energetic and fun. She was voted “most mischievous” in the 3rd grade. Haley always saw fun in even the smallest things. She was given the nickname “Hula Hopper” by her dad when she was very young, due to her high energy and enthusiasm. She was lovingly called “MacGyver, Jr.” by some family members because of her ingenuity and ability to problem solve, while others lovingly called her “Halo.” Haley was the life of the party and could light up any event with her laughter and fun-loving spirit. She graduated from Fort Scott High School in 2001. She graduated from Fort Scott Community College Nursing Program in 2004.
Haley was married to her teenage sweetheart, Timothy Merriman. Haley married Tim on March 22, 2011, in Portland, TX. Haley and Tim also repeated their marriage vows on January 25, 2026. Haley loved traveling with Tim and her family, exploring new places and enjoying hiking whenever possible. She loved camping, canoeing, cookouts, and hiking. She also became a certified scuba diver. Haley loved trying out new recipes that she could cook for her family. She loved animals. She had many pets throughout her life, but she especially loved her Great Danes, Loki and Pig.
Haley was a supervisor at First Source Insurance for over 10 years. She was employed at Kansas Renewal Institute at the time of her passing.
Survivors in the home include her husband Tim Merriman, a son, Kolton Merriman, and her daughter, Kylea Merriman. Also surviving are her son Kaidon Shelton of Fort Scott, bonus daughter Krista Spurgeon of Salt Lake, UT, bonus son Jayce Stewart of Fort Scott, parents Don and Terri Shelton of Fort Scott, brother, Heath Shelton (Ashley) Uniontown, KS, sister Shanon Byrnes (Tony) of Melissa TX, nephews Brayden and Jacob Byrnes of Melissa, TX, Gage Shelton of Springfield, MO, Jaxon Shelton of Uniontown, KS, one niece Alyssa Shelton also of Uniontown, two grandchildren, Paxton and Parker of Salt Lake, UT, father and mother-in-law, Kenny and Liz Merriman, and brother -in-law Josh Merriman, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Leroy and Shirley Harris, John Shelton, uncle, John Kruger, and mother-in-law Beverly Merriman.
Rev. Virgil Peck will conduct funeral services at 11:00 AM Monday, March 16th, at Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene. Cremation will follow. The family will receive friends from 10:00 AM until service time Monday at the Church. Memorials are suggested to Care to Share and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.