Susan Linda Merrill, 78, of Basking Ridge, NJ, formerly of Irvine, CA, passed away peacefully on July 25, 2025.

Born in San Francisco, CA to Rolla and Susan Morgan, she grew up in San Francisco and Davis, CA, graduating from Davis High School and the University of California, Berkeley. While raising her young family, she returned to school to complete an MBA at San Diego State University and subsequently enjoyed a long and dedicated career with the Defense Contract Audit Agency.

Susan was an avid birder, gardener, reader, and traveler, and she shared countless adventures with friends, family, and her beloved dog, Mater.

She is survived by her daughters, Susan (Becky) Martin of Boston, MA, and Erin Mistele and her husband Greg of Peapack, NJ; her grandchildren, Ivey, Owen, and Emma; her sister, Morgan Janis and her husband Al; her niece, Shannon Myers and her husband Bill; her nephew, Jerry Martin and his wife Nicole; her great-nephew, Rory; and her great-nieces, Valerie and Miranda.

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no formal service. A small gathering of family and friends will take place in California on November 8, 2025. In keeping with her lifelong passion for wildlife and conservation, memorial gifts may be made to eBird, Cornell Lab of Ornithology at https://give.birds.cornell.edu/page/145716/donate/1?ea.tracking.id=ENR or the Sea and Sage Audubon Society of Orange County, CA at https://seaandsageaudubon.org/#header. The family invites those who knew her to share memories and stories here so that her life may be remembered through the voices of those she loved.