Joseph (Joe) Mercer, 71, of Glendale, Arizona, succumbed to a severe case of pneumonia at Ryan’s House on December 5, 2021. Joe spent his childhood and formative years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and summer visits with family and friends in the District of Columbia and Leesburg, Virginia during which time he fostered a love of traveling by train car. He relocated to Glendale, Arizona after enlisting in the United States Air Force in 1969.
Throughout his childhood, Joe envisioned himself becoming a mechanical engineer; he developed a passion for model airplanes – electric and gas powered. Although he never planned on his future involving military service, Joe refused to let a friend enlist alone at the height of the Vietnam war; as a result, he served honorably for 24 years in Vietnam, Thailand, Arizona, and California. Joe earned a Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal – as well as several Oak Leaf Clusters and service ribbons to include the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster (for a second time) for his outstanding service as a Master Instructor and Trainer Development Team Leader. Joe also earned the National Defense Medal with one Bronze Star.
In 1971, he received orders to Vietnam and arrived at DaNang Air Base a week after a major typhoon had struck the base. While stationed at DaNang, he worked as an aircraft maintainer, assisted in reorganizing the aircraft battery shop, and worked part-time in the NCO club.
After his return to the States, Joe was assigned to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. At this time, he married his late wife Roslyn Maria Millsaps, and had two beautiful children. In 1980, he and his family were transferred to Luke Air Force Base located in Glendale, Arizona.
During his time in the Air Force he served as an Aircraft Mechanic and Technical Instructor for Aircraft Electrical Systems for multiple aircrafts to include: C-130 Hercules, F-100 Super Saber, F-4 Phantom, A-7 Corsair, A-10 Thunderbolt, CH-53 Heavy Helicopter, the Lockheed U-2, the F-15 Eagle and Strike Eagle, and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Joe was instrumental in establishing the Air Force drone systems, which he began working on in the 1970s. With this experience he served in support of Operation Desert Shield/Storm from 1990 to 1993. In 1984, he earned the Master Instructor rating and became a training systems development manager and taught classes on the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Falcon systems.
Joe would continue to work in these positions until his retirement from the Air Force in 1993. That summer he and his wife opened a small independent bookstore, Paradise Bookstore, in Peoria, Arizona. It sold used and new books, also a section focused on African-American fiction and non-fiction. He and his family could be found among the various vendors at large and small multi-cultural, African, and African-American events throughout the Valley. Joe would often utilize his wood-crafting and sewing skills to make items such as candle holders for Kwanzaa and book covers. In 2003, the family decided to close business.
In 1996, Joe decided to go back to school using the GI-Bill, eventually earning an Associate's and Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Through the utilization of the GI-Bill, he was offered a position in the work-study program which placed him at Glendale Community College. While in this position, he was hired to work for the Enrollment Center and Veterans Affairs assisting students and veterans. He helped them navigate the process of enrolling into the college and guided them to the courses they would need to complete their Associate's degrees. He loved working at the college and building comradery with his colleagues, making the time he spent with his team feel like they were a family. In January of 2021, he retired from the college with the hope of returning part-time at some point in the following year. His wit, thoroughness, and commitment to his students and team will be greatly missed.
Joe is survived by his two children Ondria Nita Lehnerd and Joseph Nathaniel Mercer, his son-in-law Kevin T. Lehnerd, and his favorite grandsons, Devin Lehnerd and Jovani Mercer. He had five half-siblings: Dutch and Butch, Karl Mercer, Angie Mercer-Booker, and Vincent Mercer.
He is predeceased by his parents, Joseph M. Mercer and Viola Boise, and his wife and best friend of 45 years Roslyn Maria Mercer, who passed on January 11, 2019.
Memorial services celebrating Joe’s life will be held on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at 6:30 PM at West Resthaven Funeral Home, 6450 W. Northern Avenue. Burial with full military honors will take place on Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 1:30 PM at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ 85024. We will be staging at West Resthaven at noon if you chose to join the procession.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a local chapter of the Disabled Veterans of America (DAV) or a similar veteran’s organization.
The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff of the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital, the nursing staff at Hospice of the Valley – Ryan’s House, and to Joe’s personal physicians, their medical assistants and staff for their devoted care.
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