Danny Merritt, a longtime fixture in sports in Wayne County passed away on Thursday at Kitty Askins Hospice Center.

Merritt was 69.

A service to celebrate Merritt’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Mar. 15 in the chapel of Seymour Funeral Home

Merritt worked for decades as a coach at the youth and high school levels across Wayne County.

He dedicated his time coaching baseball and football at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Wayne County, with Goldsboro Parks & Recreation, and at multiple high schools, including Goldsboro, Rosewood, and Southern Wayne.

Merritt spent the 2024 high school football season as an assistant coach at Southern Wayne.

On Friday, Goldsboro Parks & Recreation posted the following on its Facebook page:

We are saddened to announce that our very own Danny Merritt, better known by most as Coach, has left this world for greener fields in the sky. Danny wore many ‘hats’ with our department and could be found most days sporting at least one P&R logo, discussing (any/all) game strategy, and trying to encourage future athletes to never give up.  Whether he coached you, drove you on the bus, or simply greeted you at the complex, you knew you had a friend in Danny. His shoes are ones that we know will never be filled, but we hope we can all strive to be more like Danny. We will surely miss you, Coach.