Merril F. Scharr

Merril Ferdinand Scharr (1904-1977) was born March 29, 1904 at Lacrosse, Wisconsin. On April 23, 1927, he married Mary Elizabeth Josey (1905-1990) at the home of L.A. Darsey (1849-1929), the Methodist minister at Ocean Springs. Miss Myrtle Souque of Mobile was bridesmaid and Clair U. Scharr was his brother’s best man. The newly weds honeymooned in Mobile.(The Daily Herald, May 9, 1927, p. 4 and JXCO, Ms. Circuit Court MRB 17, p. 417)

Mary Elizabeth Josey was a native of Laurel, Maryland, and the daughter of Elias B. Josey and Pharoah Lewis Josey. Their children were: Mary M. Scharr Hayes (1929- 2000) and Brenda Fair Scharr (b. 1945) married Thomas E. Bounds III (b. 1944).

In 1930, Merril F. Scharr worked for the L&N Railroad as a signalman. Merril was the first operator of Texaco station on Washington and Porter, which had been built by Fred S. Bradford and Russell Carver. In February 1949, he acquired the Pan-Am Station on Government Street with Mr. Josey. It was owned by P.J. Wieder (1887-1985). (The Daily Herald, October 26, 1977, p. 2 and The Ocean Springs Record, March 5, 1992, p. 3 and The Jackson County Times, February 4, 1949, p. 1)

Merril F. Scharr passed on October 24, 1977 in Ocean Springs. Mary E. Scharr expired April 5, 1990. Both were interred in the Southern Memorial Park cemetery in Biloxi.(The Daily Herald, October 26, 1977, p. 2 and April 6, 1990, p. C-2)