L. J. Mercer, 100, died peacefully at his home in San Angelo on February 22, 2021. A lifelong resident of San Angelo and West Texas, L. J. was born on August 28, 1920 to J. L. Mercer and Reathy Walden Mercer in Talpa, TX. After high school he followed his father into making custom boots and formed J. L. Mercer and Son Boots, located on South Chadbourne. L. J. continued to make custom boots in both San Angelo and Los Angeles, CA. After serving his country in the Navy during WWII, L. J. retuned to San Angelo to continue boot-making. During his 75-year career, he made custom boots for celebrities such as Roy Rodgers, Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Corbin, Charlie Daniels, Mickey Gilley and many more, while not forgetting the everyday Cowboys who called him “The Master Bootmaker”. He loved getting into his motorhome and traveling around to places he had not seen before and meet new people. At one time he started a self-service shoe store, Buy Rite Shoe Stores, but eventually custom boots were in his blood. He was preceded in death by his mother and father, wife, Eleena Sparks Mercer and his grandson, Charles Sterling Rhemann. He is survived by his sisters, Estelle Hawke of Tucson and Jeanie Gadano of Hollister, CA., his three children, Ronnie Mercer of Abilene, Karen Rhemann and her husband, Ronnie Rhemann of Katy, Texas, and Phyllis Robertson and her husband, Mitch Robertson of College Station, Texas. He has seven living grandchildren, and thirteen great grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. His caregiver, Vicki Nichols, was his best friend and companion for 8 ½ years. He called her is “Lady Friend” and would never do anything without her. She made his last years full of surprises each day, which he thoroughly enjoyed. L. J. cherished the adventures of life each day and there was no problem he would not try to solve. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in memory of L. J. Mercer to the West Texas Rehabilitation, 3001 S. Jackson, San Angelo, TX 76904, or go to www.westtexasrehab.org to donate online.