John Ronald Merceron

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Ronald Merceron on Friday, November 1, 2024, at Talbot Hospice House. He was 73 years old. John was born on April 10, 1951, in Cheverly, MD, the son of the late John Edward and Thelma Hawkins Merceron. He was a 1969 graduate of Springbrook High School. John enlisted and served honorably in the US Coast Guard. After returning from the Coast Guard, he attended the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, graduating in 1973, when he began working in the funeral service industry, starting with Holloway Funeral Home in Salisbury. John was licensed as a funeral director in Maryland and Delaware. In 1988, John began working at Newnam’s Funeral Home. He continued his service with them, when it became Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, where he was a partner. John was a well-known and loved member of his community, serving as a funeral director and friend to many families in and around Talbot County. He was so dedicated to serving the families with honor and respect that he was awarded the Pursuit of Excellence Award given by the National Funeral Directors Association for fifteen consecutive years. For over 28 years, John took care of many of the families in Talbot and surrounding counties. While a funeral director, he was also a member of the Maryland Medical Eye Bank where he performed the first eye enucleation, a member of the Maryland State Board of Morticians where he served as the secretary and on the compliance committee, and he attended the British Embalming Institute. John was also a member of the Delmar Funeral Directors Association, and a member of the Academy of Funeral Service Professionals. John married the love of his life, the former Deborah Lynn Trout on July 28, 1988, and they had thirty-six wonderful years together. John served his community in other ways as well that included: serving as vice-president and commissioner of Easton Utilities, was a member of the Lions Club, and was on the board of Talbot Hospice and on the board of Spring Hill Cemetery, and a member of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce. He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Debbie Merceron of Easton, his children; Trevor Merceron, Tricia Wilkens (Jason), Jaime Riley, Jim Riley (Katherine) and Howard Eaton (Sherry), grandchildren; Kaitlyn, Wyatt, Carly, Jimmy, Clementine, Shepherd, Jettson, Hunter and Hannah and his brother-in-law, Art Trout (Karen). In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Robert E. Merceron, sister, Sandra Brown and granddaughter, Haley. A visitation will be held on Sunday, November 10, 2024, from 2-4 PM at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, 200 S. Harrison St., Easton. A graveside service will be held on Monday, November 11, 2024, at 11 AM at Oxford Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in John’s memory to Talbot Hospice, 586 Cynwood Drive, Easton, MD 21601 or Talbot Paramedic Foundation, PO Box 2237, Easton, MD 21601.

John Ronald Merceron

April 10, 1951 - November 1, 2024