James Eliot Merk, born on Nov. 1, 1942, in Santa Clara, Calif., bid farewell to this world on Jan. 9, 2024, surrounded by the love of his family. As he was fondly known, Eliot embarked on a journey that took him from the shores of California to the tropical paradise of Hilo, Hawaii, and eventually to the warm embrace of Arkansas for the past 13 years.