Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
NameJohn Oakley Mertz 
Birthabout 1936
Memo(age 77 at death)
Death17 February 2013
MemoObituary 18 Feb 2013 didn’t give exact date of death
BurialRiverview Cemetery, North’d, PA
FatherByron Millard Mertz (1900-1969)
MotherLaura Mae Dailey (1900-1976)
Spouses
Birth22 February 1936
Memo(obit)
Death9 May 2021
Memo(obit)
BurialRiverview Cemetery, North’d, PA
Marriage1953
ChildrenAnn
Find-a-Grave notes for John Oakley Mertz
After a brief illness, John O. “Jack” Mertz passed away at home lovingly cared for by his family. He was 77.
Born to Byron M. Mertz and Laura Dailey Mertz, of Shamokin, Jack was adopted and raised by his uncle and aunt, Blair and Kate (Bloskey) Mertz. He lived all his life in Northumberland and Point Township.
Jack graduated in 1953 from Northumberland High School, where he played football and was a standout basketball player.
He married his high school sweetheart, Eleanor Phillips, and they recently celebrated their 60th anniversary. They raised four children, John Blair Byron, who passed away in 2003, Lisa Marie Daly (fiance Aaron Hughes), of Newville, Steven Ross (husband of Karen Ferster Mertz), of Sunbury, and Ann Louise (wife of Anthony Stanton), of Pittsburgh. They also were blessed with four grandchildren, Jared Daly, Brianna Daly, Jessica Mertz and Amanda Mertz; two stepgrandchildren, Megan Stanton and Alex Stanton; and two great-grandchildren, Orion Mertz and Julianna Kline.
After high school, Jack earned a business degree from the Central Pennsylvania Business School in 1955 and went to work for Hall’s Motor Transit Co. in Sunbury as an accountant. When the company eventually relocated, Jack chose to keep his family in Northumberland and was hired by ButterKrust Baking Co. as its controller. He stayed with ButterKrust for 35 years until his retirement at age 71.
Jack was a member of Northumberland Seventh-day Adventist Church and believed firmly in the seventh-day Sabbath and in the second coming of Christ. He taught the Sabbath School lesson for a number of years and served as church pianist for about 45 years.
Spending much of his free time at home playing piano, especially classical, boogie woogie, hymns and old standards, Jack taught his children to love music as he did. He also enjoyed American history, particularly regarding World War II, and going to the Sunbury YMCA.
In addition to his wife and children, Jack is survived by his sisters and brothers, Lucille Dimmick, Russell Mertz, Frances Weaver, Kenneth Mertz, Lois Walburn and Thomas Mertz.
Preceding Jack in death were all four of his parents and his siblings, Dorothy Sturr (daughter of Blair and Kate), Byron M. Mertz, Ruth Snyder, Rachel Raker, Joseph Mertz Sr. and Marjorie Stametz.
Jack always put his family first and instilled in his children the values of honesty, integrity and responsibility.
Born to Byron M. Mertz and Laura Dailey Mertz, of Shamokin, Jack was adopted and raised by his uncle and aunt, Blair and Kate (Bloskey) Mertz. He lived all his life in Northumberland and Point Township.
Jack graduated in 1953 from Northumberland High School, where he played football and was a standout basketball player.
He married his high school sweetheart, Eleanor Phillips, and they recently celebrated their 60th anniversary. They raised four children, John Blair Byron, who passed away in 2003, Lisa Marie Daly (fiance Aaron Hughes), of Newville, Steven Ross (husband of Karen Ferster Mertz), of Sunbury, and Ann Louise (wife of Anthony Stanton), of Pittsburgh. They also were blessed with four grandchildren, Jared Daly, Brianna Daly, Jessica Mertz and Amanda Mertz; two stepgrandchildren, Megan Stanton and Alex Stanton; and two great-grandchildren, Orion Mertz and Julianna Kline.
After high school, Jack earned a business degree from the Central Pennsylvania Business School in 1955 and went to work for Hall’s Motor Transit Co. in Sunbury as an accountant. When the company eventually relocated, Jack chose to keep his family in Northumberland and was hired by ButterKrust Baking Co. as its controller. He stayed with ButterKrust for 35 years until his retirement at age 71.
Jack was a member of Northumberland Seventh-day Adventist Church and believed firmly in the seventh-day Sabbath and in the second coming of Christ. He taught the Sabbath School lesson for a number of years and served as church pianist for about 45 years.
Spending much of his free time at home playing piano, especially classical, boogie woogie, hymns and old standards, Jack taught his children to love music as he did. He also enjoyed American history, particularly regarding World War II, and going to the Sunbury YMCA.
In addition to his wife and children, Jack is survived by his sisters and brothers, Lucille Dimmick, Russell Mertz, Frances Weaver, Kenneth Mertz, Lois Walburn and Thomas Mertz.
Preceding Jack in death were all four of his parents and his siblings, Dorothy Sturr (daughter of Blair and Kate), Byron M. Mertz, Ruth Snyder, Rachel Raker, Joseph Mertz Sr. and Marjorie Stametz.
Jack always put his family first and instilled in his children the values of honesty, integrity and responsibility.
Find-a-Grave notes for Eleanor (Spouse 1)
Eleanor Phillips Mertz, 85, of Northumberland, passed away on Mother's Day, 2021 at home with her children by her side.
She was born in Northumberland, the daughter of Roscoe G. and Ada Scott Phillips. She was a majorette and played softball for the Norry Dons with her pals Millie Campbell, Frankie Jones, and Sandra Reichenbach. Eleanor married her high school sweetheart, John O. "Jack" Mertz. Together they loved to take driving trips to Vermont and Virginia. They were married for 60 years until his death in 2013. Eleanor continued living in the home she loved, and for the last two years she had the companionship and care of her daughter Lisa.
She turned both hands to labor her whole life, starting with picking stringbeans at Furman's as a kid. Early in her marriage she worked in the office at Rea and Derrick. She then stayed home to raise four kids, and when they were old enough, she took a tax course and did tax work in the evenings. She later worked at the Mill End fabric store in Sunbury and in Geisinger's insurance office, never taking a sick day.
Eleanor loved sewing, which she learned by watching her mother. She made countless dresses, doll clothes, and even her daughter Lisa's wedding dress. She took an evening class at the high school to learn upholstery and built a thriving business with residential and commercial clients. Her son Steve helped her and learned enough from her to redo his classic car.
She learned to knit at Evelyn's Yarn Shop. She didn't knit many things, but they all were intricate and beautiful. Everything Eleanor did was done carefully and well. She was ever practical and thrifty, doing what needed to be done: hanging wallpaper, caning chairs, swapping out appliance plugs, making braided rugs. She and Jack put out a big vegetable garden for many years, with free labor from their kids. "You have to pick two rows of weeds before you can go play" was a common summer command. The neighborhood kids loved her oatmeal bread, still warm from the oven. She let her kids use the flour sifter to sift dirt and her cookie sheets to bake "clay" bowls.
Eleanor had been a master gardener, completing Penn State's program while her daughter Ann completed one in western PA. They enjoyed working together in each other's gardens, exchanging plants, and encouraging each other's plant excesses.
Surviving are her children, Lisa Daly of Northumberland, Steven R. Mertz (Karen) of Sunbury, and Ann Mertz (Anthony Stanton) of Pittsburgh; grandchildren, Jared Daly (Chrissy) of Budd Lake, N.J., Brianna Daly of Carlisle, Jessica (Kirk) Snyder of Montandon, and Amanda Mertz; step-grandchildren, Megan Neese (Steve) of Menlo Park, Calif. and Alex Stanton (Danielle Fox) of Pittsburgh; and nine great-grandchildren. Eleanor is also survived by her sister, Marlene Marking of California; her sister-in-law, Betty Phillips of Raleigh, N.C., and many nieces and nephews.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; her son, John Blair Byron; and siblings, Roscoe Phillips, Floyd Phillips, Doris Shock, Louise Myers, Melvin Phillips, and Flo Marks.
Eleanor will be laid to rest in Riverview Cemetery, Northumberland. A memorial celebration will be held for family and friends at a later date.
Published on May 11, 2021
She was born in Northumberland, the daughter of Roscoe G. and Ada Scott Phillips. She was a majorette and played softball for the Norry Dons with her pals Millie Campbell, Frankie Jones, and Sandra Reichenbach. Eleanor married her high school sweetheart, John O. "Jack" Mertz. Together they loved to take driving trips to Vermont and Virginia. They were married for 60 years until his death in 2013. Eleanor continued living in the home she loved, and for the last two years she had the companionship and care of her daughter Lisa.
She turned both hands to labor her whole life, starting with picking stringbeans at Furman's as a kid. Early in her marriage she worked in the office at Rea and Derrick. She then stayed home to raise four kids, and when they were old enough, she took a tax course and did tax work in the evenings. She later worked at the Mill End fabric store in Sunbury and in Geisinger's insurance office, never taking a sick day.
Eleanor loved sewing, which she learned by watching her mother. She made countless dresses, doll clothes, and even her daughter Lisa's wedding dress. She took an evening class at the high school to learn upholstery and built a thriving business with residential and commercial clients. Her son Steve helped her and learned enough from her to redo his classic car.
She learned to knit at Evelyn's Yarn Shop. She didn't knit many things, but they all were intricate and beautiful. Everything Eleanor did was done carefully and well. She was ever practical and thrifty, doing what needed to be done: hanging wallpaper, caning chairs, swapping out appliance plugs, making braided rugs. She and Jack put out a big vegetable garden for many years, with free labor from their kids. "You have to pick two rows of weeds before you can go play" was a common summer command. The neighborhood kids loved her oatmeal bread, still warm from the oven. She let her kids use the flour sifter to sift dirt and her cookie sheets to bake "clay" bowls.
Eleanor had been a master gardener, completing Penn State's program while her daughter Ann completed one in western PA. They enjoyed working together in each other's gardens, exchanging plants, and encouraging each other's plant excesses.
Surviving are her children, Lisa Daly of Northumberland, Steven R. Mertz (Karen) of Sunbury, and Ann Mertz (Anthony Stanton) of Pittsburgh; grandchildren, Jared Daly (Chrissy) of Budd Lake, N.J., Brianna Daly of Carlisle, Jessica (Kirk) Snyder of Montandon, and Amanda Mertz; step-grandchildren, Megan Neese (Steve) of Menlo Park, Calif. and Alex Stanton (Danielle Fox) of Pittsburgh; and nine great-grandchildren. Eleanor is also survived by her sister, Marlene Marking of California; her sister-in-law, Betty Phillips of Raleigh, N.C., and many nieces and nephews.
Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Jack; her son, John Blair Byron; and siblings, Roscoe Phillips, Floyd Phillips, Doris Shock, Louise Myers, Melvin Phillips, and Flo Marks.
Eleanor will be laid to rest in Riverview Cemetery, Northumberland. A memorial celebration will be held for family and friends at a later date.
Published on May 11, 2021