In the heart of Seville Drive, in a house built by her parents, lives a woman who has become a living landmark not through attention-grabbing ventures, but by serving as a vital connection between generations, carrying legacies, and embodying the quiet joy of consistency. Jane Merrill (née Henderson), born right here in Pensacola, might be introduced as the daughter of Burney Henderson, wife of Will Merrill Jr., and mother of Will, Burney, and Collier Merrill. She is also the aunt to many nieces and nephews, including great-nieces and great-nephews, who gather together every Christmas at her home. Her story has layers that extend far beyond her titles.
"I started this magazine as a love letter to Pensacola," I told Jane as we began our conversation. "It was created to honor both the legacy families who shaped this town and the newcomers who fell in love with it. You sit at that beautiful intersection."
**The Woman Beyond the Name**
Researching Jane Merrill yields limited information online. There are a few mentions of her civic roles, such as involvement with the WSRE Foundation, Impact 100, and the Junior League, but little else that delves deeply into her life. When asked about who she is beyond her familial connections, Jane humbly replied, "I’m just a normal person."
However, "normal" does not encompass her decades of volunteer work, participation in bridge clubs, playing Mahjong, attending antique shows, and being an active member of the Christ Church Episcopal of Pensacola, where she has remained devoted for decades. One of the volunteer activities she particularly enjoyed was her participation in prison ministry a few years ago. While Jane may downplay her achievements, the evidence tells a different story. She has contributed significantly to her community with quiet intention and a sense of responsibility that seems increasingly rare.
**Family, Faith, and a Bit of Baseball**
After what she describes as a "checkered academic career," Jane graduated in 1955 with a degree in English and Spanish from the University of Alabama. After graduation, she returned home and met her future husband, Will, a Marine helicopter pilot, while he was in flight training in Pensacola. They married, moved to North Carolina, and eventually returned home, where Will co-founded Burney Supply Center alongside his father-in-law and brother-in-law, Dick Dickerson.
Although Jane never pursued a professional career, she has built a life full of meaning. "My career has been being a wife and mother," she shared. "And I’ve done various volunteer activities."
Her face brightened when we talked about Alabama football and the New York Yankees. As a lifelong baseball fan, she reminisced about watching Don Larsen pitch his perfect game during her wedding week and proudly displayed her keepsake gold baseball medallion commemorating her father’s high school championship in Tuscaloosa.
Giving Back Quietly
Jane’s contributions stretch across Pensacola. She spent nearly a decade volunteering at ARC Gateway, helped organize the annual Crab Cake Cookoff, worked antique shows for Christ Church, and even joined a prison ministry. “It was scary, but meaningful,” she recalled. "We weren’t allowed to ask the women any questions, just to visit and give them a break."
From hosting Impact 100 events to selling Tootsie Pops in elf costumes at ARC’s holiday events, Jane has always been present in moments that make the city feel personal.
The Gift of Henderson Beach
When her father, Burney, sold the land that would become Henderson Beach State Park, he did so well below market value because he believed in public access. "We were so proud of it," Jane said. "It was his way of sharing something special."
Her face softened as we talked about how that land, once family-owned, had become a beloved public sanctuary. "We still have property down there, and I haven’t visited in a while, but I should. It’s beautiful."
The Matriarch and the Next Generation
Jane appears on the cover of this issue with her grandson, Collier Merill Jr., affectionately known as Collier Jr. A rising sophomore at Catholic High School, Junior is thoughtful, reserved, and proudly carries the family name into a new era.
When asked what he admires most about his grandmother, he smiled and said, "Her being so active at her age. Most people aren’t like that." He spoke about trips they've taken together to Hawaii, Alaska, Las Vegas, and how much he enjoys spending time with her. "She’s funny," he added. "Kind, loving, and devoted."
Collier Jr. may not see himself as a storyteller, but through quiet moments of reflection, it’s clear he holds deep admiration for Jane. He works at Atlas, a local restaurant owned by his father, part of the Great Southern Restaurant Group here in Pensacola, and loves to fish. With family roots that stretch back generations in Pensacola, he carries both pride and humility. "It feels cool knowing I have family going back so many years," he said.
He dreams of one day serving in the Navy, following a long line of military service in his family, and possibly attending the University of Alabama. When asked how he feels about being on the cover with his grandmother, he said simply, "It's cool. I think it’ll remind me of her."
A Legacy of Grace
Jane Merrill may resist the spotlight, but she embodies the grace, grit, and generational wisdom that make Pensacola special. When asked if there was one decision she made that she was most proud of, she paused.
"I don't know that there's anything I did that was just mine," she said. But that humility is exactly why this story needed to be told.
It isn’t always the loudest voices that shape a community. Sometimes it’s the ones who show up, stay rooted, and keep the door open for family, neighbors, and friends.
And in Pensacola, that door swings open at the home of Jane Merrill.
“Daddy wanted that land to become something for everyone. We were so proud of it.”
* Jane Merrill, on the legacy of Henderson Beach
“I’ve lived in the house my parents built. It’s still grandma’s house to all of them.”
*Jane Merrill, on being the family’s emotional anchor
“My joy comes from being surrounded by the people I love—my children, my grandchildren, all of them.”
* Jane Merrill