Merrie was born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and grew up in Annapolis. She attended college in San Antonio, Texas, where she met her husband, John, an Air Force officer. She has lived in the eastern and western United States, and spent 5 years in Germany. While living in Washington, DC, Merrie and her husband spent increasing time in West Virginia after buying a cabin near Trout Pond. They now live full time in Yellow Spring, WV in a 200 year old house on a farm they have named Silver Trout.

Merrie learned to weave in Spokane, Washington, about 30 years ago. While living in southern Virginia she was the resident weaver at On the Hill in Yorktown for 5 years. She has participated in many craft shows and has won several awards. Her work has also been shown in Colonial Homes Magazine, and she is a juried member of Tamarack - the Best of West Virginia.

All of Merrie's weaving is done with natural fibers. Now that she has a home in the country, she continues to learn more about natural dyeing and weaving with hand gathered fibers. She has been a member of the Lost River Craft Cooperative for over 10 years.