Judy Ijames Merritt

Judy Ijames Merritt, 80, of Tobaccoville, NC, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, September 10, 2026 from cardiac and respiratory complications. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Dale Merritt. She was the daughter of the late Louie and Naomi Ijames of Harmony, NC and a beloved sister to Steve and Walter Ijames. Judy graduated from Harmony High School and moved to Winston-Salem to attend business college, where she met her future husband cruising Stratford Road (a story she loved to tell). After graduating business college, she married Dale and had two daughters, Samantha and Teresa. Judy continued to work for 30 years for Hanes Brands in the marketing and human resources departments. She played the piano for her church, Bethel UMC in Rural Hall, and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She was a devoted daughter to her parents and in-laws; an incredible mother to Samantha and Teresa; and a loving grandmother to Carol-Anne, Anna, Alicia, Alayna, Ainsley and Liam. She will always be remembered for her beautiful smile and sweet nature. The family will receive friends from 1:00 - 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home in Rural Hall, NC. Her funeral service will follow the visitation at 2:00 PM in the chapel of the funeral home. Flowers may be sent to the funeral home or, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bethel UMC, 7553 NC Highway 66-S, Rural Hall, NC 27045.