At the age of 71, Alexander W. Merritt died December 12, 1919 in a San Antonio hospital. He was buried at the Vance Cemetery, adjacent to the Baptist Church, Real County, Texas. The Merritts had been married 41 years. After the death of her husband, Catherine and the three younger children remained on the home place until sometime after 1920. She sold the ranch property to her son, William Alex and his wife Willie and moved to Camp Wood. She drew a widow’s pension for her husband’s service in the Texas Rangers.