John C. Merges Jr. of Oxford

1931-2016

John C. Merges, Jr., devoted husband of Fay Merges, passed away on Sunday, October 2, 2016, formerly of Glen Mills, PA.

He is survived by his wife; two sisters: Florence of AZ and Helen of FL; three children: Valerie of Layton, UT, Tracy and wife, Barb of Avondale, PA and Kirk and wife, Michelle and their two children, Aiden and Seth of Oxford, PA.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Joyce Merges.

John served two years in the U.S. Army on the island of Okinawa towards the end of the Korean War. He received a BA in chemistry from Penn State University and a Master in science from the University of Delaware. He worked on the surveyor spacecraft solid rocket propellant while working as a chemist for Morton Thiokol. He changed jobs and worked as a research and development chemist and lube oil salesman for Sun Oil. He later worked as a plastics engineer for Brandywine Compounding and Smurfit Packaging.

John enjoyed cooking, orchids, flowers, gardening, antique farm machinery, and serving as the Ware Presbyterian Village Independent Living Residents treasurer and employee appreciation fund administrator. He was a devoted father and grandfather that was very proud to see his daughter travel the world and to see his sons, daughter-in -law, and grandsons volunteering at the Rough and Tumble Historical Association.

A memorial service with light refreshments will be held on Saturday, October 29th from 1-3 PM in the Huntsworth room at the Presbyterian Village Oxford Health Center located at 7 E. Locust St., Oxford, PA 19363.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ware Presbyterian Village employee fund. Please make the check payable to: WPV-PRESBYTERIAN RESIDENCE COUNCILEAF and mail to Ware Presbyterian Village, 7 E. Locust St., Oxford, PA 19363.

Arrangements are being handled by the Edward L. Collins, Jr. Funeral Home, Inc., Oxford, PA.