After surviving the Korean conflict, William utilized the benefits of the Korean War. G.I.Bill which gave him one month of college for every month of the 33 months he served. He entered Hardin Simmons University, Abilene, Texas, with the intent of becoming a minister and teacher. Within 30 months he completed a Bachelor of Science degree with double majors and graduated near the top of his class. After entering graduate studies he began to teach in Texas public schools and became a pastor of a Christian congregation.

During the late 1950’s, as our national priorities shifted to space sciences, William came to the conviction that these sciences could reveal much about the attributes of our Creator God. Thus, he decided to continue undergraduate and graduate studies in the natural sciences. Eventually he completed four additional majors in physics, chemistry, biology, and geology at Sul Ross State University, and the Universities of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Dallas. To this day, William still contuse private studies in astrophysics, geophysics, molecular biology, advanced mathematics, and ancient history of the Levant.
During his lifetime William Merrifield has been a soldier, a scholar, a husband and father , a pastor, a teacher of science for over 41years, a departmental chairperson for 10 years, an athletic coach of three sports for 19 years, a successful Federal grant writer, a mentor of high school students in scientific research activities in state, national, and international competitions for which they received hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, national academic recognition, and entrance into top universities. Two of his mentored students were honored as guests of the King of Sweden for their research work at the Nobel Prize Ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden in 1982 and 1984.

William has been recognized by numerous technological corporations, scientific societies, governmental agencies (including the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education) for his educational leadership. In 1984 he was honored in receiving the Presidential Award of Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching by President Ronald Reagan at the National Academy of Science in Washington, D.C.

William’s ultimate goal has been to encourage people of all ages to recognize how the love of God has made our planet, Earth, unique in all of its physical, chemical, and biological qualities as a purposeful home for His most significant creation: mankind.

Bill Merrifield passed on Monday, April 4, 2022. We miss him dearly.