This was an article in our hometown newspaper, the Sidney Herald. This sums up his career in community service quite well. In addition, he was very active in the LDS Church and served in the Army during WW II. He was a great man and I miss him very much.
Mayor Mercer passes away
By Bill Vander Weele
One of the great leaders in the history of Sidney passed away early Tuesday morning. Harold Mercer, 90, who served as the city’s mayor during the 1950s, 1960s, 1980s and 1990s, died Tuesday at the Lodge at Lone Tree Creek. Funeral services are tentatively set for 10 a.m. Saturday under the direction of Fulkerson Funeral Home at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Interment will be in the Sidney Cemetery. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at
www.fulkersons.com. After first serving as an alderman, Mercer was Sidney’s mayor from 1957-1965. He then stepped down to become the city’s public works director for 19 years. He was then elected as mayor in 1985, capturing 65 percent of the votes. His overall service of mayor for 24 years finished at the end of 2001. “I suppose public service is in my blood,” Mercer said in a Herald story in 2002. After the 1985 election, Mercer said, “I hadn’t expected to win like that. That’s really something to have that many people support you. I certainly appreciate the confidence people have shown in me.” In 2001, Mercer received a Lifetime Service Award from the League of Cities and Towns.
Current mayor Bret Smelser had Mercer as a Little League baseball coach as well as Kiwanis advisor when Smelser was in Key Club. Smelser said the influence Mercer and Tim Feeley had on him in Key Club led to his community service involvement. Smelser says he still has a photo of the Little League team, coached by Mercer, that won a championship. “I wasn’t a very good baseball player. He put me on first base so I could learn baseball,” Smelser said. “Despite the fact we weren’t a very good team, we won the playoffs.” Years later, Mercer mentored Smelser when he joined city council. Mercer also asked Smelser to run for mayor. “Harold was a very effective mayor,” Smelser said. “He had the ability to bring all parties together, something I hoped he’s trained me to do.” Smelser says Mercer, through his “very conservative” approach, moved the community forward during tough economic times, and he will long be remembered as Sidney’s longest serving mayor. “Harold had a big influence on me. There wasn’t a day that I didn’t think what would Harold do,” Smelser said.
George Swensen was involved in the construction of the present City Hall alongside Mercer. At the time of Mercer’s retirement as mayor, Swensen told the Herald, “The City Hall building was a well engineered product done right under Harold’s watch.” He added, “Harold knows where every sewer line and water line is located. He understood money, taxation and people. This is what Harold is all about. He ran a pretty tight ship.”
Longtime city councilman Cal Oraw remembers the great leadership Mercer displayed as mayor. "What I remember most about Harold is he was a great leader, a great speaker,” Oraw said. “He was very conservative and yet very progressive. He was always looking at what Sidney’s needs will be 20 years down the road. Yet, he was very concerned that the city’s reserves were always there.” The water treatment center and the new swimming pool were created during Mercer’s tenure. Whenever it came to raising rates, Mercer was known for expressing concerns. “He always brought up the single, elderly people living in their own homes. He was always looking out for them. He was just admired by everyone. He was well respected.” Oraw noted Mercer’s father, Ben, was one of Sidney’s first councilman when the city was incorporated in 1911. “Almost everything we have and enjoy in Sidney has some Mercer touch to it,” Oraw said.
These are a couple of the pictures I took on our trip to Montana and back to Arizona.
Steve took us to see Hoover Dam. We stopped in Boulder City and went to the Hoover Dam museum located in the historic hotel there. It was only $1 to get in for seniors and it's a great museum. I'd recommend it to anyone going that way.
Hoover Dam, once known as Boulder Dam, is a concrete gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between Arizona and Nevada. 
When completed in 1936, it was both the world's largest hydroelectric power generating station and the world's largest concrete structure. 
Construction began in 1931, and was completed in 1936, a little more than two years ahead of schedule. 
Our friend, Steve, has a beautiful home here in Las Vegas that he calls the Ranch. His partner, Ted, had the most creative abilities and the home reflects his sense of style and beauty as well as just plain hominess. Ted died a few months ago which is one of the reasons I really wanted to stop and see Steve.
That's a long time to remain friends especially since our paths went in very different directions - his to California and then back to Las Vegas and mine to California, Montana, Virginia, back to Montana and now full timing.
Steve loves to cook. He loves to entertain and to take care of people. So when he and Ted bought this house (it needed a complete redo) they designed the kitchen for Steve. Just look at the size of that fridge.
And it's completely full. He has two dishwashers, the stove has six burners, and more cupboard space than I could ever have filled. 
Steve is also an accummulator (is that a word?). To give you an example, this is just one drawer of his tupperware. He has another one that is as full if not fuller.
One night I watched him take almost 5 minutes to decide which set of dishes he wanted to use that night. He loves to make a presentation out of the meal even if he is eating by himself. He is thoroughly enjoyable to be around and will give you the shirt off his back if you need it.
This room is the den. I love these shades of tan and beige. Makes you want to snuggle down in front of the fireplace and never move again.
