July 20, 1938 – August 12, 2018
Stewart Anthony Mercer, age 80, died at home on Sunday, August 12, 2018. The cause was complications from COPD.
Born July 20, 1938 in Flushing, New York, to Quintin Ulysses Mercer and Dorothy Westervelt Mercer. Raised by his mother and sister Kathleen, and they lived in a great many places while growing up. He attended different schools in NY, Elementary school, Sunday school, high school, reform school, and the School of Hard Knocks. (And he would be the 1st to say they were self-inflicted!) He left home at the early age of 14, and eventually enlisted in the USAF at 17, with mother's reluctant consent.
On July 10, 1982, he married Noelle Carlson whom he met in Denver, CO; They married in the Catholic Chapel, San Geronimo, on the Taos Indian Reservation, NM.
He lived in many places including New York City; where he was born, New Orleans when he left home at 14. Later he lived in Tripoli, Libya, with short term residence in Valetta (St. Paul's Bay) Malta. Also resided in Portuguese Bend, Rolling Hills, and Palos Verdes, CA, His time in Denver, CO, marked his fortuitous meeting of Noelle, in December 1981. They also lived in Miami Springs, FL, and Dallas, TX. His travels took him to more than 100 different countries around the world, and numerous cities within those countries. Included in his travels and timeframe he encountered various war zones in Beirut, Lebanon, Managua, Nicaragua, Larnaca & Nicosia, Cyprus, and Amman, Jordan.
He chose to be in the commercial aviation industry during his long career. He founded AV-EX Aviation Excellence and headed that global aircraft parts distribution firm, debt free, for his entire tenure as CEO & President, and did so until the very successful and planned sale of that business in 2009. He is most proud that the firm; continues with different ownership, but with many of his selected and talented, diligent employees; and continues to grow with profitability.
From then until his death, he consulted in aviation, especially Operational Excellence, airline parts distribution, and sales growth. He was a firm believer in the principal that “The harder he worked, the luckier he got.” Persistence was his mantra, and they served each other well.
Stewart was a member of the following organizations:
* The Rolls Royce Owners Club www.rroc.org/
* The Classic Car Club of America
* The International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA). www.iaopa.org/
* The Chief Executive Officers Club, Inc. (CEO CLUBS) www.ceoclubs.org
Stewart’s interests & activities included:
• General Aviation Flying – He had flown more than 36 different aircraft types/models
• Airports, more than 100 different ones. Those many airports have seen his
non-spectacular, non-eventful landings hundreds of times, including 9 of the top 10 busiest airports in the nation; dozens and dozens of times.
• Skydiving: 1st "official log book entry" 1966 Lake Elsinore, California
• Paragliding, Parasailing, Hang Gliding
Stewart supported several philanthropic organizations including (but not limited to) the SPCA, The Dallas Symphony, and The Dallas Summer Musicals (where he was a member of the Board of Directors), The Frontiers of Flight Museum, where he also served as a Member of their Board. He mentored budding entrepreneurs with The Board Room.
He and Noelle created a Scholarship Fund at the Texas A&M CVM for students of veterinarian medicine. (CVM = College of Veterinarian Medicine) Named in honor of their long-time veterinarian, Dr. Terry Ford, and staff at North Dallas Veterinary Hospital
Survivors include his wife Noelle, her children Dori & Derrik and their children Richie, Kenny, and Krystall, his sister Kathleen Smyth and her husband Dennis Smyth, sisters Judith Gingras; Linda Thorsen, Diane Mercer Toomey, and numerous nieces and nephews; Kathleen, Kerry, Doreen, Denise, Laure, & Tim; Jeffrey & Matt.
Stewart was preceded in death by his mother & father, Dorothy & Quintin.
Among the thousands of people that Stewart has met over the years, he was most proud of having met and been in the company of several Four-Star Generals, including John R. Dailey, Stanley Allen McChrystal, Raymond T. Odierno, H. Norman Schwarzkopf, David Petraeus, Tommy Franks; and Admiral John Walsh.
Dallas was where Stewart chose to spend most of his life, but in his heart and mind, New York was always “home”. He particularly enjoyed his times there with Noelle and as well as introducing daughter, Dori, son Derrik and the 3 grandchildren to the wonderments of NYC !
Services will be held at 12 noon, Thursday, August 23 at Sparkman Hillcrest. 7405 West Northwest Highway, Dallas, TX 75225. Relatives and friends are welcome to join us at 11am for visitation prior to the service.
Reception to be held following services at Bugatti’s Ristorante, 3802 Northwest Highway; Dallas 75220
Stewart will be cremated with a portion of his remains being scattered off the coast of Palos Verdes, California and Catalina Island, a most favored place for him.
Memorial contributions are welcome at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and/or Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine. (Mercer Scholarship Fund)
Remember not my fight for breath;
Remember not the strife,
Please do not dwell upon my death,
But celebrate my life.........
And life is what we make it.
Always has been.
Always will be…..
The Whole of anything is never told.
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