Alice Mercer

Alice Mercer, age 89, of Dayton died Wednesday, January 4, 2006, in Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga. She was born May 25, 1916, in Omaja, Cuba, the daughter of Methodist missionaries, the Rev. Augustus and Ora (McLean) Moore. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Theodore C. Mercer.

She received her BA degree at Bob Jones College in Cleveland, TN, and her MA at George Peabody College in Nashville, TN. She was professor of English and chair of the English department at Bob Jones College. She moved to Dayton in 1956, when her husband became president of Bryan College. For 30 years she served with distinction as president’s wife, and she was founding president of Bryan Women’s Auxiliary. At First United Methodist Church in Dayton, she served as historian for 20 years and was a member of the Ellen H. Frazier Bible Class.

She is survived by her three sons, Ted Mercer, Jr., of Chicago, IL, Dr. John Mercer of Tulsa, OK, and David (and wife Gwen) Mercer of Houghton, NY, and by two sisters, Frances Wilbert of Sarasota, FL, and Mary Swyter of Washington Grove, MD.

The family will receive visitors at Vanderwall Funeral Home in Dayton from 4 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. Funeral services will be held Friday at 11a.m. at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. John Anderson officiating. Burial will be in Rhea Memory Gardens followed by a white dove release.

Memorials may be made to Bryan College.

Please share your memories with the family on their on-line guestbook at
www.vanderwallfh.com