Robert "Bob" Louis Mercer

Robert “Bob” Louis Mercer, 80, passed away at his home in Auburn, Wash., on March 7, 2023, surrounded by his family. 

Bob was born on December 4, 1942, to Alfred Thomas Jr. and Anne (Blaine) Mercer in Boston, Mass. He was the second of three brothers. 

Bob joined the U.S. Air Force in 1961 and served two tours in Vietnam in 1962 and 1969. He met and married his wife, Gillian, while stationed at Royal Air Force Fylingdales in Yorkshire, England, where his only child, a daughter, Dawn, was born. After 23 years, Bob retired from the Air Force as a chief master sergeant and began a second career with the Federal Aviation Administration as an air traffic controller in 1984. He retired from the FAA in 2006 and enjoyed years of travel, hunting, fishing and spending time with his family. He was also a longtime member of the Enumclaw Masonic Center, Crescent Star Lodge No. 109. 

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Gillian; daughter, Dawn (Jeff) McElvain of Auburn; grandson, Quinn McElvain of Tucson, Ariz.; brother, John (Linda) Mercer of Fayetteville N.C.; sister-in-law, Carolyn Mercer of Bremerton, Wash.; a number of much loved nieces and nephews; and many friends. He is preceded in death by his parents and elder brother, Alfred Mercer III. 

A Masonic service is scheduled for March 26 at 12:00 p.m. at Crescent Star Lodge No. 109 in Enumclaw. 

A committal service with full military honors will be held on March 28 at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Wash., at 2:30 p.m. An open house will follow at the family home from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bob’s memory to the Enumclaw Masonic Center or a charity of your choice. Please share a memory of Bob on the tribute wall.

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