Goldia Aimee O'Haver Merrill was born on November 3, 1902 in Rock Island, Illinois. She was the daughter of Joel Landon O'Haver and Cora Belle Hatton O'Haver, and was married to Robert Heath Merrill. O’Haver graduated from St. Joseph’s Hospital, School of Nursing, at Ottumwa, Iowa, 1929 and entered Naval Service on December 17, 1929. She was transferred to Guam on October 31, 1940, then transferred to Manila, Philippines, on November 5, 1940. She was one of the "Angels of Bataan and Corregidor” – the US Army and Navy Nurse Corps women who served in the Battle of the Philippines in 1941-42. When Bataan and Corregidor fell, 11 Navy nurses, 66 army nurses, and 1 nurse-anesthetist were captured and imprisoned in and around Manila. They continued to serve as nurses in various POW camps until they were finally liberated in February 1945. Goldia died on April 30, 1977 at the age of 74 in Apple Valley, California and is now buried in the Victor Valley Memorial Park, Victorville, San Bernardino County, California, USA.