Olga Paris Merino, 80, of Decatur died Sunday, September 15, 2013. She was born in New York City, NY, May 23, 1933, raised in Costa Rica, and moved to Alabama in 1958 with her husband, Alfonso Merino. During her spare time when not raising five children, she was a member of the St. Ann’s Catholic Church Altar Society, a Girl Scouts troop leader, church secretary, Eucharistic Minister, and involved in the Cursillo movement. She was also a writer and assistant editor for the Decatur Daily, Spanish interpreter for the Morgan County Health Department and the Decatur Police Department, and arbiter in all family disputes. She was a constant to all who knew her, a loving companion, and a devoted mother. A prayer service and visitation will be held Thursday, September 19 at 6:30 pm at Annunciation of the Lord Catholic Church in Decatur, AL. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Friday, September 20 at 10 am, preceded by visitation from 9-10 am at the same location. Interment to follow at Burningtree Memorial Gardens . Survivors include her husband, Alfonso Merino of Decatur, AL; her children and their spouses include Brenda and Jerry O’Rourke of Slidell, LA; Steven Merino of Fort Lauderdale, FL; Patricia and Kurt Siepman of Chicago, IL; Michael Merino and Julia Hodges of Washington, DC; Sean Merino of Birmingham, AL; her grandchildren and their spouses include Cristina Sparkman of West Hollywood, CA; Brandon and Shelli Sparkman of Cypress, TX; Lauren Peebles of Destin, FL; Claiborne and Juan Saldarriaga of Marina del Rey, CA. Pallbearers are John Doss, Jerry O’Rourke, Brent Peebles, Dennis Quintavalle, John Reno, and Kurt Siepman.
