Lee F. Mercier

Lee F. Mercier, a loving, compassionate, and active leader of many charitable and community organizations was relieved of his suffering on August 7, 2024, after a three-year long battle with Parkinson’s and cardiovascular disease.

Lee was born in Trenton, New Jersey on April 18, 1945. He graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University in 1967 and from The University of Virginia School of Law in 1975. He married Bobbie (Roberta), the love of his life, in 1971.

During his distinguished legal career of 43 years, Lee held many positions of leadership. He was past president of the Estate Planning Council of Northeast Florida, a member of the Probate and Guardianship Rules Committee of the Florida Bar and was distinguished as a Leading Florida Attorney in Probate, Estate Planning, and Trusts Law. He was named Florida Super Lawyer in 2008. His greatest joy was in creating Special Needs Trusts.

Service to others was Lee’s passion in life. He was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ghana for two years following his Princeton graduation. He served in the Navy as an officer and was honorably discharged as a Lieutenant in 1973.

Lee was a Director of the SouthTrust Bank of Northeast Florida. He was a member of the South Jacksonville Rotary Club for 43 years and functioned as its president in 2009. He was a Paul Harris Fellow. He was a Director and Board Member of Pine Castle, Inc., an organization which serves and

empowers adults with developmental and mental differences. He was an enthusiastic JYSC soccer coach and was named Coach of the Year in 2003. He served as a Director on the Board of the Children’s Home Society (Buckner Division) and was Chair of the Princeton School’s Committee for N.E. Florida for twenty years. Lee was also Chairman of the Board of the Early Learning and Child Care Center. He was both a Board member and a past president of the Jacksonville Marine Institute. He was also one of the first Presidents of the San Marco Preservation Society and a member of the Advisory Board of WJCT. He greatly enjoyed being on the Board of the Jacksonville Cathedral Foundation.

Lee was a man of deep faith. He was a congregant of All Saints Episcopal Church since 1982 and served as an acolyte, choir member, lay reader, Eucharistic minister, and a Senior Warden of the Vestry. He chaired the Church’s Endowment Fund.

Never blessed with children of his own, Lee took great joy in reading to grade school students through his Rotary outreach program, dressing up as the Easter Bunny for his neighborhood’s yearly Easter Egg Hunt and loving every moment spent with his Godchildren and his Italian “Grandchildren.”

Lee was a voracious reader and lover of fine literature. He created a “Sunday Shakespeare Group” which lasted for well over ten years. His wife’s passion for travel was infectious; they greatly enjoyed traveling together to six continents. Being an enthusiastic Oenophile, Lee loved sampling the wines from different countries and the wine regions of the US.

Lee is survived by his loving and devoted wife Bobbie with whom he shared 53 wonderful years of marriage; his loving Godchildren, Laurie Moore (Thakkar), Reese Moore (Sease), Geoffrey Williams; by his devoted Italian “son”, Claudio Ciceri; his brother, Vaughn (Arizona), three loving cousins and several nieces and nephews.

A man of profound faith, wisdom, and compassionate spirit, Lee’s kindness, humility, and generosity will forever resonate in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing him. There will be a celebration of Lee’s life on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at 11 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, 4171 Hendricks Avenue. Bobbie and family will greet friends at a reception in the Parish Hall, following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lee’s memory may be made to Pine Castle, Inc., 4911 Spring Park Road, Jacksonville, All Saints Endowment Fund of All Saints Episcopal Church, or to the charity of your choice.

Hardage-Giddens Oaklawn Cemetery and Funeral Home is serving the family.