John Merck

JOHN W. MERCK Passed away on March 9, 2013, at age 87. He and his devoted wife, Carolyn, made their home in Old Town, Alexandria for over 40 years. John grew up on a farm in South Carolina and attended The Citadel before joining the Army Air Corps during WWII. As an Air Force Fighter Pilot he was stationed on Okinawa and in Tokyo. After 7 years of active duty, he remained an Active Reserve Pilot, retiring in 1973 as a Lt. Colonel. John received his BA and MA from the University of Georgia where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a Ph.D. in demography and statistics from Duke University in 1960. At the USAF Human Resources Research Laboratory in San Antonio, TX, he was a research statistician and computer scientist from 1956 to 1967. He then joined the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, CA, as Director of USAF Manpower Studies. In 1970 he moved to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget where he held the positions of Senior Economic Analyst, Chief of the Veterans Affairs Branch, and Deputy Associate Director for Government Operations. In 1994 he retired from the Department of Veterans Affairs as Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Analysis. John loved cycling, golf, and classical music. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn; three children, John Merck Jr., Rebecca Coplon, and Geoffrey Merck; and three grandsons. Friends are invited to visit with the family on Saturday, March 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Demaine Funeral Home, 520 South Washington St., Alexandria, VA. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be at a later date.