ROBERT DeKRUIF "Bobby" MERCHANT

MERCHANT
ROBERT DeKRUIF "Bobby"
Age 39, passed away on Saturday, March 17, 2018, in Taiwan. He was born May 15, 1978, in Pittsburgh, to Virginia "Ginny" DeKruif Merchant and Ralston Wentworth Merchant, Jr. Bobby was a 1996 graduate of Fox Chapel High School and a 2000 graduate of Loyola University in Maryland. After graduating from Loyola, Bobby embarked on what would become nearly a 20-year adventure in Asia, a place he grew to love and call home. Bobby first moved to Thailand, where he taught English to children and gained a Master's degree in Hospitality. He went on to manage hotel properties throughout the country for several years, before being offered a promotion to manage a large hotel complex in Taiwan. Bobby moved to Taiwan in 2006, where he met and married Pauline Wu, and was blessed with their son, Camden "Cam" Ralston Merchant, the love and pride of his life. Bobby is survived by his wife, Pauline Wu and beloved son, Cam Merchant, age four; parents, Ginny Merchant, and Ralston and Marta Merchant; his siblings, Ralston "Tripp" Merchant III and his wife, Mandy Merchant, McCall Merchant Cravens and her husband, Stephen Cravens, and their children, Michael Merchant and Hayden Merchant; and his grandmother, Jane Merchant. He was also surrounded by a team of loving aunts, uncles, and cousins whom he loved. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Ralston Merchant, Sr., Robert and Jeanne DeKruif, and Dodie Palmer. Bobby was a great adventurer, sports enthusiast, and devoted father, and will be missed dearly by all. We will always remember him for his unending love for Cam, his joy in spending time with his family, and his excitement to live out his fullest life and adventures overseas. His heart was pure gold. So much so that he could not bear the burden he believed he placed on others anymore. We will always remember his courage and strength during difficult times. He was a fighter. We know that he is finally resting in peace and without pain. A Celebration for Bobby's Life will take place in Taiwan and Pittsburgh. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Western Pennsylvania Chapter.