Extracted from The Times (Shreveport, LA)
Monday, May 18, 2009

Gilbert Edward Mercer

SHREVEPORT, LA -- Funeral services celebrating the life of Gilbert Edward Mercer, 82, will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 19, 2009 at Liberty Baptist Church on Colquitt Road, Officiating will be Rev. Joe Brown and Rev. John Cooper. Interment will follow in the NW LA Veterans Cemetery in Keithville, LA. Visitation with the family will be from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Monday at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, Southside.

Mr. Mercer was born on January 21, 1927 in Winnfield, LA to Monroe Gilbert and Ada Belle Mercer. He passed away on May 15, 2009 after a lengthy illness. He was a resident of Shreveport, where he was a member of Liberty Baptist Church and retired from Beaird Corp, where he was a welding engineer from 1957 until 1992. Gilbert was a perfectionist in everything he did. He enjoyed gardening and growing tomatoes for family and friends. He knew how many he had on each plant, on any given day. Gilbert proudly served his country during WWII in the U.S. Army. Gilbert will be remembered first as a faithful Christian, a loyal husband and father, and the best ``ice cream serving papaw'' ever.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Marie Couch and half brother-William Jones. Left to cherish his memory is his loving wife of 58 years, Jessie Mercer; sons, Monroe Mercer and wife, Delisa, Scott Mercer and wife, Cindy; daughter, Ginger McCoy and husband, Roger; 7 grandchildren 7 great-grandchildren and special niece, Betty Smith and husband, Chester.

Pallbearers will be grandsons and one special great-nephew; Ryan McCoy, Trey Miller, Brian Whiteman, Eric Mercer, Kyle Mercer and Wayne Smith.

Rose-Neath Funeral Homes
Southside Chapel. 687-1256