With the utmost sorrow, we announce the
passing of a floral design legend

MICHAEL PAUL MERRITT, AIFD

November 28, 1945 - March 3, 2026

Michael suddenly passed away shocking all that knew him in just the same manner as he arrived on this earth. It was only the next year, 1946, that Harry S. Truman proclaimed November 28, 1946 as a day of thanksgiving. Michael was now apart of history being that his 1st birthday was on Thanksgiving Day. That is the legacy Michael left with us. He was an extraordinary person who thought outside the box. Never taking the easy road and always striving for excellence. That was so evident in his profession as a floral artist.

Michael was born in Modesto, CA to Paul Russell Merritt and Agnes Luetta Ball and his older brother of 10 years, Kenneth Russell Merritt. He had the nickname, Skip, and all his family called him that. Unfortunately years later his brother who was 10 years older passed away in a car accident in 1971.

Michael attended Modesto High School and was a champion swimmer with his buddy, Ted, wining medal after medal. He learned how to swim by swimming in the canals in the area not having any structured or professional lessons. He graduated in 1963 with his goal to become a commercial artist. He said he planned to design cereal boxes. He attended Modesto Junior College when he got a job as a delivery driver for a local flower shop. He said he was such a terrible driver that he had to rearrange the flowers before he delivered the arrangements. Then they were getting calls praising the arrangements and he said those are my designs and a floral artist was born! His first passion for flowers and garden material developed due to his grandma, Zaddy. She lived on a ranch in Modesto and grew all kinds of flowers, fruit and vegetables. He loved going to Grandma’s and being among all that beauty.

Shortly after graduating high school Michael married Carolyn Ginn and had two children, Reg and Juliet. He left Modesto for a few years to work for a floral shop in Fresno as their wedding designer and doing all the window displays. People would buy the entire window displays.

Michael opened his first flower shop in 1974 called The Thoughtful Flower in Modesto a block from one of the most well-known and successful flower shops. In short order he was the one that all the carriage trade went to for their flowers. He was successful from the start being the designer that did many of the main events, weddings and parties for the movers and shakers in Modesto and Stanislaus County.

In 1978 he met Cheryl Simonian who was the Northern California and Northern Nevada representative for Teleflora when he was the president of the San Joaquin Floral Association. When he met her, he said I am going to marry her and in later years he always said Cheryl is the love of my life. Cheryl left Teleflora to work along side with Michael handling the business while he created all the designs for the shop. They were married in 1982 and had two children Michael and Christopher. It was a family affair running the flower shop and raising two boys who also worked in the shop starting at a young age.

In 1981 Michael was inducted to AIFD, American Institute of Floral Designers, which he became a lifetime member. He was busy with floral shop, but did many design shows for floral wholesale houses, garden clubs and symposiums. He loved to share his floral artistry inspiring others to be free to design. Not be tied to set rules. He always said “floral design is not brain surgery”.

He was one of the first floral designers who showcased his work at Bouquets to Art in San Francisco at the DeYoung Museum and was a regular participant until a few years before he passed away. He was their featured designer for a few years at the inception of San Francisco Bouquets to Art. He would always select a place in the DeYoung Museum where there was a blank wall. He would say “they are here to see my art. They can see those paintings anytime!” That was so Michael!

Through the years Michael did programs for the Museum of Fine Art in Boston which started the concept of showcasing floral designs with works of art. He taught floral design in Taiwan for a month at staged programs and hands on classes traveling throughout the country. He designed flowers for two US presidential inaugurations in Washington, DC alongside his fellow AIFD buddies. He worked for a silk floral manufacturer and was sent to Hong Kong and China to help prefect their silk flowers to the US market giving flowers a more natural look in design and color. That was his specialty.

For several years he was a designer to help set up the showrooms for the international floral shows in Dallas and Atlanta. He loved working with all the product and material displaying their material to highlight the product to the industry. He also taught regular classes at Filoli Gardens for several years and did hand-on shows for many garden clubs across thew country. He loved to share his knowledge and see others create their own style.

In 2007 Michael and Cheryl sold The Thoughtful Flower and moved to Laguna Beach thinking this was where they would retire. They said they were going over the wall. Many summers and Christmases, Michael and Cheryl with the boys would go and vacation in Laguna Beach where Cheryl’s family lived. They bought a beautiful home in Laguna Beach with a full on view of the ocean. They loved it and thought this was where they would end up. However, life had another idea.

All the years Michael and Cheryl lived in Modesto, they would come to Carmel for the day or a 3-day weekend taking the boys. They must have stayed in every motel and hotel in Carmel during that time. So Carmel was a place that they both loved. After a few years in Laguna
Beach, Michael was not fond of the traffic and wanted a change. Well, being the partner Cheryl was, they started moving north ending up in Carmel by the Sea. They bought a house here and thought they would do freelance work and garden club and industry shows.

Shortly after buying the house in Carmel by the Sea, they were walking to town for dinner and saw that the person that had the space on 7th Avenue between Lincoln and Dolores next to the Cypress Inn had the windows covered and was moving out. Michael said I always told you that would make a great flower shop. He was game and was Cheryl was no, don’t think so. After 35 years of owning a floral shop, the holidays, etc, was so much that retirement was great. Well, Michael said just one more…you and me. Well, Twigery was born in 2009 in Carmel by the Sea…the second floral rodeo.

Thank goodness that Michael pushed the idea because it was one of the best things they ever did. Carmel was heaven on earth for them. The locals and tourists took to Twigery instantly. It seemed like magic. Michael and Cheryl felt apart of the community instantly due to the welcoming residents and those who visited the shop. It wasn’t work. It was fun and a labor of love. Michael always said “I make things and people buy my toys.” Michael had an inherit gift from God and he figured it out early in life. His floral artistry was an eclectic look that would incorporate flowers, foliage, vegetables and easily flow throughout his design naturally.

Shortly after moving to Carmel by the Sea, Michael wanted to join the Pebble Beach Club. Cheryl was not too enthusiastic until one day she made a delivery for one of the members who was celebrating her birthday in the dining room at the Beach Club. Well, she went back to the shop and said ok, let’s look into joining. The view in the dining room was all it took! They joined the Beach Club and the Stillwater Yacht Club because they heard they had the best parties. They became regulars at the gym and went to all the parities and events for the Beach Club and Stillwater Yacht Club. Their favorite place to dine at the Beach Club was at the bar, calling it Table #1.

Michael is survived by his loving wife, Cheryl, his children, Michael (Rachel), Christopher (Carlie), Reg (Becky), Juliet (Kimo) and several grandchildren who all miss him dearly.

A scholarship has been established to honor his legacy of floral artistry,

The Michael Merritt, AIFD Fund.

To keep Michael’s floral artistry alive donations can be made online to aifdfoundation.org/DonateOnline or mailed to:

AIFD Foundation
PO Box 250482, Plano, TX 75025-0482

Make a note that the donation is for the Michael Merritt, AIFD Fund.