James Larry Mercer was born September 29th, 1935 in Wayne County, NC. Shortly after graduating Lee Woodard High School, he joined the Air Force and was stationed at Spangdahlem AFB, Germany following the Korean War. He was honorably discharged in 1956, having been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and the Occupation Medal. He attended East Carolina University, earning his M.A. in Education in 1963 while managing the Greenville Airport. He then married Rose Pettus Read and eventually moved to Charlotte, NC.

Mr. Mercer worked as a field service engineer at Ford Motor Company, and was recognized on numerous occasions for his excellence at problem solving, and over 30 years of dedicated service. He retired in 1997, and moved to Windsor, NC. He was an avid sportsman, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. Jim was also a firearms enthusiast, a skilled woodwright and millwright, and loved spending time with his grandchildren.

For many years of his later life, he waged a courageous battle with congestive heart failure, deteriorating vision, cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. In 2015 his health failed to the point of limiting his independence and mobility, and on the 21st of August, 2018, after a protracted battle with illness and blindness, he chose to end his life. He was 82 years of age.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bronson Wiley and Willie Rogerson Mercer and his sister, JoAnn Howell. He is survived by his brother, Stephen Mercer and his sister, Elizabeth Mercer Rafter; his children Elizabeth Rose Mercer, Linda West Boyd, and James Franklin Mercer and his six grandchildren: Elizabeth, Zachary, Mary, Tyson, James Ian, and Christine Ferne (and Nellie, his dog.)

Services are at 11:00am, Saturday, August 25 ^th , with visitation to follow at Walker's Funeral Home, Windsor, NC. In Lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to SECU Hospice of Brunswick Lower Cape Fear Hospice, 955 Mercy Lane, Bolivia, NC 28422 or to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Online condolences may be made to www.walkerfh.net.