John Frederick Mermel

1935 - 2014
John Frederick Mermel, 79, of McLean, Virginia, died in San Diego, California on Monday, March 3rd, 2014, of causes related to acute myeloid leukemia.

He was born to the late Thaddeus Walter and Lillian Summers Mermel on February 18th, 1935, in Denver, Colorado. He was graduated from St. John's College High School in 1952 and received a B.A. from Georgetown University in 1956. He received an M.D. from the George Washington University School of Medicine in 1960. He was a member of the medical honorary society, Alpha Omega Alpha. He married the late Dr. Virginia Maribee Myers of Francesville, Indiana in 1961.

Dr. Mermel served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1961 to 1963. He was stationed in Sasebo, Japan where he and his wife had their first child. He returned to the U.S. where his second child was born in 1964. Upon his return, he began the practice of internal medicine with a specialty in cardiology in partnership with the late Dr. Michael Shefferman through 1985. He served as Associate Clinical Professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine while in private practice.

In 1985, Dr. Mermel accepted the post of Regional Medical Officer for the U.S. Department of State in Islamabad, Pakistan. He lived in Pakistan with his wife for two years and together they began a series of similar posts to other U.S. Embassies in Cairo, New Delhi, and Warsaw. While abroad, Dr. Mermel served in regions often bereft of western medical expertise. He was the first doctor to board Pan Am Flight 73 at the conclusion of its hijacking in Karachi, Pakistan and directed triage operations after the terrorist attack that left 22 dead and 150 injured. He also served at the U.S. Embassies following the bombings in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in 1998 as well as in Baghdad and Kuwait after the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990. Dr. Mermel was regularly dropped into Beirut, Lebanon and other hostile zones. Dr. Mermel and his wife returned to McLean, Virginia in 1997, whereupon he served as the Clinical Director and then Deputy Medical Director in the Office of Medical Services, U.S. Department of State. He attained the rank of Minister Counselor and retired in 2000.

Dr. Mermel loved his family, the practice of medicine, traveling, fly-fishing, the investment markets, teaching and learning. He touched many lives and made them all better with his humor and endless kindness and empathy.

Dr. Mermel is survived by his two children: M. Myers Mermel, of New York City; and Dr. Cecilia MacCallum, of Lynchburg, Virginia. He is also survived by two sisters, Yvonne Rodler and Marilyn Disbrow; and five grandchildren, Grace, Matthew, Lillian, John, and Elizabeth. His wife Virginia preceded him in death in 2010.

A service of memorial will be held on March 29th at 10:00 am at the Walker Chapel United Methodist Church, 4102 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia. Interment will be at the Oakwood Cemetery in Arlington.