James Christopher Mernin Sr.

James Christopher Mernin, Sr., 94, of Vienna, Virginia, passed away on January 12, 2022.
Jim was born on December 13, 1927, in New York, NY, the only child of William Patrick Mernin and Bridget O'Shea Mernin, both Irish immigrants. He grew up in Brooklyn, NY and kept busy in the Boy Scouts and working at various jobs, such as "candling" eggs and reshelving books on roller skates in the stacks of the Brooklyn Public Library. He attended Erasmus Hall High School before joining the U.S. Marine Corps, and celebrated his 18th birthday on board the troop ship USS Wakefield, bound for China. By coincidence, he had traveled with his mother to Ireland in 1935 on the same ship when it was the luxury liner, SS Manhattan, before its wartime commissioning. Upon returning to New York, he married Eileen Stanton. He then resumed his Marine career and together, the Marines took them and their growing family to Virginia, California, North Carolina, New York, and Georgia, in addition to his deployments overseas. Jim retired from the Marines in 1967 and the family settled in Dale City, Virginia. Shortly after that, Jim began a long civil service career at the General Services Administration. After his retirement in 1995, Jim spent several years as a volunteer at Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge, and doted on his grandchildren. He enjoyed being with family, a good book, a good movie, and good conversation. Jim is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Eileen; their children, James, Jr. (Cindy Miley), Edward (Lisa), Thomas (Barbara), Joan Crum (John), Matthew (Janice), Michael (Anne); 13 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren; and his sister-in-law Rosemary Parnizari. He was predeceased by a great-granddaughter.
The family will receive friends on Friday, February 4, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., at Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home, 4143 Dale Blvd. Dale City, VA 22193, with a service at 11:00 a.m., and interment immediately following at Quantico National Cemetery.