Gerald Eugene Mercer

Gerald Eugene Mercer
November 09, 1924 - January 10, 2009
Keswick, IA
Memorial Service: 10:30 AM January 13, 2009 at Powell Funeral Home, North English, IA
Visitation: 4 PM to 7 PM January 12, 2009 at Powell Funeral Home, North English, IA
Gerald Eugene Mercer was born on November 9, 1924 in Packwood, IA, a son of Edward and Iva Ramsey Mercer. He grew up in the Packwood area and graduated from Packwood High School in 1942. He served in the US Army Air Corps during WW II. He was united in marriage to Helen Marie Oliver on June 16, 1946 in Packwood. Besides working in the Education Field, Gerald worked at Louden Machinery in Fairfield and at the Sears Farm Store in Ottumwa. Gerald received his BS Degree from Iowa Wesleyan College, his Masters Degree from Northeast Missouri State and his Specialist in Education Degree from the University of Missouri. He taught in Hedrick and was Principal at Ollie before moving to the Tri-County district in 1968, where he was Superintendent until his retirement in 1990. Gerald was a member of the Thornburg United` Methodist Church and the James Murphy American Legion Post # 319. He enjoyed vacationing and traveling with his family, pheasant hunting, fishing, golfing, bird watching and enjoyed the flowers from their flower bed. Gerald died following a brief illness on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at University Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City. He lived 84 years, 2 months and 1 day. He is survived by his wife Helen Marie of Keswick; a daughter Deborah (John) Atwell of Rock Falls, IL; sons Gary (Terry) Mercer of Indianola,IA, Bryan (Renee) Mercer of Ashton, MD and Matt (Tinell) Mercer of San Antonio, TX; 10 Grandchildren: Chris Mercer, April (Andrew) Blackford, Gene Mercer, Clark Mercer, Greg Mercer, Zachary Mercer, Marissa Mercer, Drake Mercer, Danielle Mercer, and Chase Mercer; 4 great grandchildren: Shasta Mercer, Sam Mercer, Jessie Mercer, and MaKenzie Blackford; a brother Dale Mercer of Folsom, CA; sisters: Mary Huddleston of Burlington, IA, Arlene Nelson of Fairfield, IA and Jean Marshall of Packwood, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Wayne, Richard, and Raymond Mercer, and a sister Reva Myers. A memorial fund has been established for the James Murphy American Legion Post # 319, The Keswick First Responders and The Thornburg United Methodist Church. Messages and Tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com under obituaries.