Steven S. Merritt, 55, of Leland died March 9, 2014, in Rockford Memorial Hospital. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Immanuel Lutheran Church, Earlville, with the Rev. Tammy Anderson officiating. Burial will be at Baker Cemetery. Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Friday in Merritt Funeral Home, Mendota. He was born April 14, 1958, in Aurora to Charles S. and Pearl (Tuftee) Merritt. He married Jill Simmons on Sept. 19, 1987, in Somonauk. He was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Earlville. A graduate of Somonauk High School in 1976, he attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and Waubonsee Community College. He was employed by Plano Molding in Mendota and was a partner with his father in owning and operating M & M Electric. He also worked with his dad on building a personal model railroad, a hobby that stayed with him as he improved it over the decades. He enjoyed auto racing and even did a little himself. Steve and Jill loved to do things together. They worked tirelessly on improving the home place, hosted cookouts and bonfires for many friends and relatives and thoroughly enjoyed traveling the country, including Alaska. Visiting relatives, fishing trips and snowmobile journeys took them to fun locations, and Steve and Jill's Suburban often had a trailer behind it. Great stories with much laughter usually followed. He is survived by his wife, Jill of Leland; mother, Pearl Merritt of Mendota; one sister, Susan (Dave) Berry of Carlock; seven nieces and nephews and eight great-nieces and great-nephews. He was preceded in death by his father. Memorials may be directed to the family for a memorial to be established later.