SAUGUS – The death of Town Meeting member Henry “Buddy” Merrifield has left many saddened throughout the town and opened speculation about who will assume his Precinct 3 seat.Born in Melrose and raised in Saugus, the 60 year old known for his political passions died suddenly on Feb. 16 at his 10 Lawndale Ave. home. Emergency medical personnel responded but were unable to revive him. Merrifield was taken to Melrose-Wakefield Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.”Henry was very well liked around town,” said Randy-Sue Abber, his companion and best friend for the past 30 years. “I’m finding out more and more about him as the days go by. Even though I was with him for all those years, it’s amazing to find out how people felt about him.”Merrifield was serving his second term as a Town Meeting member from Precinct 3. Since the term was uncompleted, Ronald Atkinson will likely fill the seat.Atkinson, a town employee in the Inspectional Services Department, came in sixth among the precinct’s candidates for the five precinct seats in the last election.Town Clerk Joanne Rappa on Wednesday said Atkinson was sent a letter offering him the open seat. “He has been notified because we have to swear him in as quickly as possible. There’s a Special Town Meeting on Monday,” said Rappa, noting that under the bylaws, the next candidate in line must have received at least 30 votes in the previous election.Atkinson could not be reached for comment.Merrifield was involved in many civic activities, including the effort to get the Saugus Public Library recertified by the state. He was a vibrant member of the Saugus Democratic Town Committee and, over the years, participated in the political campaigns of dozens who ran for local and state office.”He was passionate about politics. He loved to talk politics and sports. In that sense, he was a real man’s man,” said Abber.Merrifield worked the past three years as a clerk at the Riverside II Convenience Store. It was there he held social court and friends routinely dropped by for lively conversation.”People would come by the store just to say hello to Henry. One man stopped by who didn’t know Henry had died, a big, burly lobsterman, and he had tears in his eyes,” Abber said. “I knew Henry was a good guy and everybody liked him. I just didn’t realize how much they really liked him. Different people keep telling me how he influenced them. I guess I had no clue about that.”Merrifield was a salesman for most of his life, the merchandise ranging from insurance to windows. At Saugus High School, he was the star goalie of the hockey team.Abber said he died when the couple was watching TV and started “having some kind of seizure. I called 911 and they came within a few moments, but he was already gone and I miss him.”The couple met at the Blue Star, a former country-and-western, bar in 1981.Merrifield, who leaves his sister, Janet M. Merrifield of Saugus, was buried in Riverside Cemetery. Donations in his memory may be made to the Friends of the Saugus Public Library, 295 Central St.