| Suda Merriman honored by a Utah Power and Light representative and a member of the Utah Jazz staff. |
This year seems to be the year of Suda Merriman. She was recently honored by Price City as Employee of the Year and now the 20 plus year veteran of the city received a state community MVP Award. This honor was presented at a Jazz game recently in Salt Lake City by Utah Power and Light and the Utah Jazz for her contributions to the Price community.
Merriman attended the game with Price City Councilman Richard Tatton and his wife Sandra and friend Brianna Welch.
In the nomination Tatton began with, “Suda Merriman is a very unusual lady. Unusual in a very positive way. She was born and raised in Thailand.”
The nomination continued to explain that Merriman married a man stationed in Southeast Asia and they moved to the United States.
Suda moved to Price and worked as a janitor for several places in the city. One of the restaurants let her sleep in the storage area. Being young and not knowing the language and not having any job training or background it was difficult for Suda to get on her feet.
The nomination explained that she was able to get on as summer help with the Price City Parks Department and over the years she has worked her way up to Parks Supervisor.
According to Tatton, during her time working for Price City, “this lady has not only done an excellent job, but has extended herself to improve the quality of life for everyone in our community.”
After working her regular hours, Suda plants flowers in Price on the main streets. She spends countless hours in the greenhouse.
On Saturdays and after school, under the direction of the district court, she takes juvenile wards and works with them. She teaches them the planting and park type work as well as instilling a strong work ethic.
On vacation days she works with the local food bank all day and helps those that are in the position she once was.
“The quality of life she gives everyone from the seniors to the little kids by her example is remarkable. I know no other person that offers so much freely as this lady,” concluded Tatton.