Robert T. Mercer, Sr.,82, resident of Palmetto Bay Miami, FL. Passed on Dec 11th, 2018 peacefully in his home.
Born in FR, MA, he resided in Tiverton RI as a child & Westport, MA for most of his adult life. His retirement years were spent in both Westport on the river with his family & in Miami with his wife, Jane Sprogis & his beloved labradoodle, Luke.
Robert Mercer, Sr. served in the United States Marine Corps. from 1956-1962 where he was an infantry leader & demolition specialist. In his down time, he taught himself to play the harmonica. A graduate of Bridgewater State & Southern MA University, Robert earned his Master’s degree in education with a specialty in Speech & Language Pathology. He dedicated 42 years of his life to the Fall River Public Schools as an educator,Administrator of Special Education, and a Speech Therapist from 1966-2008. Alongside of his professional career, Robert established Cape Cod Skin Diving Schools, Whaling City Dive Center, & Brockton Scuba Center. He was a dive instructor for PADI, NAUI, & SSI. He achieved the prestigious Platinum Pro 5000 Award for dedicated underwater training services. His love of education combined with his passion for the aquatic environment gave countless individuals experiences & adventures in the underwater world. This love & passion for the water was founded at a young age by his late parents, John & Mable, as they travelled the country known as the “Swimming Mercers” where he and his siblings swam long distance competitions. His swimming accomplishments vary from swimming from the Battery to Coney Island in NY as a teenager to his most recent Senior Swimming Olympics in Cutler Bay, FLin the 80 and over division, where he medaled in all 3 events.He was a life-long member of the Westport Yacht Club, where he continued to spend the warm summer days on the water with his beloved family swimming, snorkeling, diving, & fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Jane Sprogis of Miami, FL. His first wife, Carol (Marquis) Mercer of Westport & their 4 children, Linda Mercer-Botelho& her husband Roger of Westport, Robert Mercer, Jr. & Pamela Parent-Melanson of Dartmouth, James Mercer & Harmony Winters of Westport, Lorie (Mercer) Crockett & her husband Eric of Westport & step-son, Paul Tusting & his wife Tara Baird of Utah. Grandchildren Jillian, Alex, Janelle, Lily, Aja & step-grandsons, Alex & Jackson, as well as several nieces & nephews.
He is the son of the late John & Mable (Little) Mercer of Tiverton, RI. Surviving siblings, Faith (Mercer) Peckham of Tiverton & Hope (Mercer) Hall of OH. His late siblings include Lois, Ruth, Althea, Jack & Carlton.
Memorial Service to which relatives and friends are invited will be Thursday, December 20, 2018 at the Potter Funeral Home at 6:30 P.M.
Memorial Visitation will be from 4 - 6:30 P.M. prior to the service.
Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Supt. John Correiro Scholarship, c/o Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 103 , Fall River, MA 02722.