Dr. Harold Milton Merritt was born to Lucille (Brown) Williams and Oscar Merritt on July 28, 1951 in Harlem, New York. Due to the untimely passing of his mother Lucille, Harold was raised by his beloved grandmother, Fannie Wilson, from his childhood through his teenage years.

Harold graduated from Columbus High School in Bronx, New York where he was a part of the basketball team from his freshman to senior year. He then attended and played basketball at Albany University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education and his Masters Degree. His first job after college was at the University of New Orleans as a full-time assistant men's basketball coach in 1976, and at that time he became one of ten African-American assistant coaches at the NCAA Division I level in the country. Harold went on to hold the position of head men's basketball coach at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA, and at NCAA Division I Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ. When he returned to school full-time, he earned his second Master's degree and his doctorate in Educational Leadership. Upon graduating, he received his first non-coaching position as the Director of Athletics for the City of Houston. Harold's passion for intercollegiate level sports led him to becoming the Director of Athletics at the College of Staten Island from 1999 to 2006. While under his leadership, CSI was awarded its first ever CUNYAC Commissioner's Cup in 2001. Harold's illustrious career in athletics and his accomplishments are far too many to list within these pages, but the impact he made was undeniable.

After spending decades in the sports arena, Harold had the pleasure of being a full-time professor at St. John's University in New York in the division of Sport Management. Throughout his career he advocated for athletes to prioritize their academics as well as their athleticism. He spent years researching, studying and collecting a catalog of videos and literature on the history of African Americans in sports. He took his findings and crafted an entire curriculum about "The History of African Americans in Sports', which he taught and gave lectures about for years.

His professional career and accomplishments were a reflection of his hardwork and dedication to assisting young people in becoming successful in their present and future lives.

For almost 30 years Harold shared his life with his loving wife

Pamela. From this union, Harold gained two bonus daughters whom he loved dearly. When Harold wasn't teaching or coaching he loved to play and watch golf and tennis. He loved God, good food, his New York Yankee fitted hat, and peanut butter straight out of the jar. He loved to write and he preferred typing letters to people instead of sending text messages.

Harold was definitely one of one and he will always be missed.

Dr. Harold Merritt is survived by his wife Pamela Merritt, and his daughters Rachelle Phillips and Melissa Phillips. Harold was preceded in death by his Mother, Father, Grandparents, his loving Aunts, Step-Mother;

Ruth Merritt, Brother; James McBee, and several of his lifelong buddies.

He leaves precious and loving memories with a host of family, friends, colleagues, and teammates. Whether you know him as Dr. Merritt, Coach, Dipper or Harold; he will always be remembered for being a husband, a father, an athlete, an educator, a mentor, a leader and a friend.