Allen "Kirk" Merritt

Allen “Kirk” Merritt, 63, of Biloxi, MS, passed away on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Biloxi.

Known to all as Kirk, he was born on March 27, 1963, in Gulfport, MS, to Barbara Gentry and James Allen Merritt. He attended Harrison Central High School and went on to become a successful entrepreneur and local business owner. Over the years, he owned and operated several businesses, including Kirk’s Biz’Zar, The Hot Spot, Kirk’s House of Rock and Kirk’s Auto Sales.

Kirk was a World Champion Drag Boat Racer and a local musician, whose band “The Blend,” won the Covey Award two years in a row, in 2024 and 2025.

He was preceded in death by his father, James Allen Merritt.

Kirk is survived by his wife, Tara Hickey Merritt; his daughter, Bryce Ann Merritt; his mother, Barbara Gentry; and his sisters, Tracy Sloan and Donna Niblett.

Funeral Services will be held at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home on Howard Avenue in Biloxi on Monday, April 6, 2026. Family and friends may visit from 12:00 pm until service time. Interment will follow at D’Iberville Memorial Park.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Allen “Kirk” Merritt.