Imagine you’ve lived in a small town your whole life and have just started your freshman year at the college you grew up right across the street from. Suddenly, there are so many new people to meet! Now, imagine that one of these many new faces has started going to the very same church that you do. 

For William “Bill” Davies ’66 and Merrill Johnson Davies ’64, this is how their story begins. Their education at Union College and their Baptist faith brought these students together in 1962, and since then, they have built a lasting legacy of service, learning, and community impact — one that has spanned more than 56 years of marriage. To understand how this enduring impact came about, we must first look back to where it all began.

For Merrill, Union represented a new chapter in her educational journey. After completing her first two years at the University of the Cumberlands, she transferred to Union to save money during her junior year. She lived off campus with a local family, which limited her freedom and made it challenging to connect with fellow students. Despite that, she carved out her own place at school, building friendships, finding love, and learning from professors who left a lasting impact on her life.

[PHOTO: Merrill as a senior in 1964]

One of the professors Merrill learned a lot from was Dr. Merchant, then head of Union’s English Department. “I remember one time we were walking across campus at the same time, and he knew that I had transferred from Cumberlands. Of course, there’s always competition between nearby schools. He said, ‘Johnson, you are a good writer, and you know your English. I don’t think you learned it at Cumberlands.’ He was real abrupt with me, but I enjoyed him,” Merrill recalled.

These experiences not only expanded her intellectual horizons but also deepened her ability to empathize with others. Understanding the diverse needs and struggles of the wider world shaped both her commitment to service and her later work as a writer.

While Merrill’s journey at Union was marked by personal growth and academic challenges, Bill’s experience at Union was greatly influenced by family connections and mentorship. Growing up across the street from campus, Bill attended Union alongside his mother, his brother Sam, and cousins. Bill’s mother, a dedicated public school teacher, had a passion for learning that inspired both him and his brother. Despite never having the chance to complete her degree, she remained committed to the classroom, often teaching in one-room schoolhouses.

[PHOTO: Bill as a junior in 1965]

Bill fondly recalled a unique challenge his family faced during their shared academic journey at Union: “We bought a used English literature book. The back had come off, so we divided it into three sections. Mama always got first choice and the back of the book. On campus, if we were having the same class on the same day, we might exchange portions of that book together,” he said. Reflecting on these moments, Bill noted how they strengthened their bond and mutual love for education. “It was fun, it was work, sometimes painful, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It was a good experience,” he added.

Bill’s time at Union was also influenced by Dr. Warren Robbins, who led the Education Department and served as Sunday School Director at First Baptist Church, Barbourville. As a teenager, Bill often participated in youth activities, helped with various tasks during youth week, and even preached. Dr. Robbins encouraged him to assist with meetings and presentations, leading Bill to eventually take numerous classes with him at Union. 

These early experiences, which blended academic learning with community service, exposed Bill to the intersection of personal development and social responsibility, laying the groundwork for his future work in social justice. The church, of course, is also where Bill and Merrill met, and they often spent time together at Dr. Robbins’s house while Merrill babysat his three daughters.

Both Bill and Merrill were actively involved in the Baptist Student Union which connected Baptist students with the local church. This involvement nurtured their shared commitment to faith and service, notably guiding Bill’s journey in becoming a Minister of Education and strengthening Merrill’s dedication to community and teaching. Their experiences fostered compassion and outreach, laying the foundation for their lifelong efforts to address human needs and inspire others to join their mission.

[PHOTO: The Baptist Student Union, as pictured in the 1964 "Stespean" yearbook.]

While Bill focused on immediate, hands-on community service, Merrill made a profound impact through her teaching, writing, and advocacy for those in need. Before retiring in 2003, Merrill dedicated 31 years to educating children as a high school English teacher and debate team coach. She was actively involved in extracurricular activities like directing the yearbook. Additionally, she balanced her teaching career with managing a household and leading an adult Bible study class. 

Merrill continued to advance her academic credentials, earning a master’s degree in literature, an education specialist degree in leadership, and a certificate in gifted education. She also achieved National Board Certification as a teacher of English and Language Arts from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. 

Throughout her career, Merrill remained deeply committed to her students and community, consistently striving for personal and professional growth.

After retiring, Merrill focused on her lifelong passion for writing, a pursuit she could never fully embrace until retirement. The first novel she worked on, "The Welsh Harp," was inspired by Bill’s family history, particularly his father's side that immigrated from Wales in 1903. She self-published it in 2012, but this was just the beginning. Merrill went on to publish five more novels – including "The Tulsa Times," sparked by her own father’s mysterious past – and a collection of poetry. At present, she is working on a seventh novel.

[PHOTO: Cover of Merrill's first book, "The Welsh Harp"]

Throughout their lives, Bill and Merrill’s shared devotion to learning and service has influenced every aspect of their work. Together, they have married service to others with their own personal growth, inspiring many to follow in their footsteps. This legacy began at Union but will endure far beyond it.