Wayne County Wanderings: Remembering Bob Mermell, the Voice of Wayne County

This week’s column begins with a timeless and touching love story.

And while it ends with profound sadness, the 50 years in between mark the kind of tale which warms the heart and brings out the best in all of us.

It’s the story of Bob Mermell. How he met and married the love of his life. How he and Jet sunk roots in a small, rural town. How they raised a happy family and worked tirelessly to leave a positive mark on their community.

Bob Mermell was the voice of Wayne County for the better part of a half-century. He was Honesdale’s biggest cheerleader and fiercest advocate. Most of all, though, he was a loving family man with a plan for every situation.

Love at First Sight

In 1965, Middletown (NY) high school senior Robert H. Mermell was paging through the local newspaper when he came across something that stopped him in his tracks.

That something was a photo of Henrietta “Jet” deWit, a beautiful young lady from Holland who was to be that year’s exchange student.

Bob was immediately smitten. He cut the picture out of the paper and told anyone who would listen that this was the girl he’d marry one day.

Six years later, on August 6, 1971, he made good on that promise. And for the next half-century the two were inseparable.

Bob and Jet became the proud parents of two children: Peter and Jesse. They eventually welcomed three grandchildren into the fold as well: Noah, Zoey and Liam.

Along the way, Bob built a small town radio empire that began humbly but quickly became an integral part of all our lives.

As the owner and “voice” of deWit Media, Bob was the king of live broadcasts. And while his first mission was always to provide a top-tier listening experience, Bob’s legendary sense of humor proved to be his calling card.

There was the time he donned a red-checkered suit and road an elephant down Main Street to promote the arrival of a circus … without informing anyone, including the borough police, ahead of time.

Then there was the time he stripped down to his jockey shorts on a dare during a live broadcast … just to promote the opening of a new dry cleaners.

This was the essence of Bob Mermell, though: 100 percent devoted to the task at hand, but home every night no matter what for dinner with Jet, Peter and Jesse.

These are just a couple of the myriad reasons Honesdale was heartbroken to hear of Bob’s passing back in March. It’s also why local folks turned out in force this past weekend to pay their respects and to say goodbye.

Heartfelt Tribute

Brian Wilken, local impresario and one of Bob’s closest friends, served as emcee for Saturday’s Memorial Service.

The Cooperage on Main Street in Honesdale played host to the event, which attracted an SRO crowd. Not surprisingly, there were far more smiles than tears as the program truly became a celebration of Bob’s life.

Brian delivered opening remarks with his trademark humor and homespun wisdom.

He shared stories of the “early days” at the radio station when he was just 15-years-old. He remembered how passionate Bob was about local coverage and community service. He also related how much fun it had been working with Bob and how thankful he is for the friendship they shared.

“Bob was patient,” Brian said, a catch in his throat and a tear shimmering in his eye. “Bob was kind. Bob was generous. He was just a really good man.

“Bob loved Jet with all his heart. He was a great Dad who loved his children and grandchildren more than anything in the world. He was always there for them and for his community.”

After James Hamill read an excerpt from “That Man is a Success” by Robert Louis Stevenson, Bob’s sister Lynda stepped up to the microphone. She gave a moving tribute to the big brother she teasingly called “Bobby Bunny” and “Robert Rabbit.”

“Family meant so much to Bob all through his life,” Lynda said. “He was always there for us … for our parents, for his kids and for Jet, the love of his life.

“Bob was kind, compassionate, wise, analytical, sensible and articulate. He always knew what he was doing, but he also listened, considered and respected other ideas.

“Bob was a caring, loving and protective big brother. He was never too busy, never too distracted to focus on what really mattered: Family and friends.”

Adam Cole followed with a recitation of Mary Elizabeth Frye’s timeless poem “Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep.” Then, Bob’s daughter took a few minutes to share some poignant stories.

Jesse thanked everyone for their support during Bob’s illness and in the wake of his passing. She then embarked on a loving and humorous tribute to her Dad, centered on his methodical approach to planning out every event in his life.

“If you worked with, are related to or counted Bob Mermell as a friend, you know that his having a plan for everything was par for the course,” she said. “My Dad’s plans and the love they were rooted in truly shaped the course of his life.

“For my Dad, planning was about love. It was about the love of having his family around him. It was about a deep and joyful love of his grandchildren … and refusing to miss even a minute of time with them.

“It was clear to me and my brother from an early age that being an engaged father and putting family first were at the center of every plan.

“Dad’s last and greatest plan of all was to make sure we’d be ok after he was gone. He spent a lifetime, plan by plan, taking care of his family and he wasn’t going to let a terminal diagnosis change that.

Jesse closed out her elegy by looking up to the heavens and addressing Bob directly.

“Dad, we are heartbroken, grieving and dumbstruck to be without you,” she said. “We love you today and always. And, we are ok … just like you planned.”

Timeless Words

From a personal standpoint, Bob was a good and loyal friend. He was always there to offer a kind word, a pat on the back or a bit of timely advice when the situation called for it.

Bob had a sharp wit, a great sense of humor and a quick, enquiring mind. But most of all, Bob had a big heart. He loved his fellow man and never failed to step up when someone he knew needed help.

One of the things we had in common was a genuine love for our local community. Bob spent countless hours promoting upbeat, positive stories on the airwaves, while I’ve always strived to do the same in print.

We both believed that the media, especially in a small town rural setting like ours, could be used as a force for good … and we acted accordingly.

I was sad when I heard he was retiring and heading south. Thankfully, we kept in contact after he and Jet moved to Florida.

Every once in awhile, Bob would call me in the newsroom to chat about a local story or ask about my family. More often than not, though, he’d send me an epic email filled with questions, updates, wry observations and well-wishes.

When Saturday’s Celebration of Life ended, I walked down Main Street lost in thought. Somehow, instead of returning to the car, my legs carried me to Twisted Rail.

There, I sought out a quiet corner, ordered a beer and offered up a toast to Bob’s memory. I also began scrolling through my email archive and re-reading all the missives he’d sent me over the years.

My favorite one arrived after the death of my dear friend and longtime mentor Dr. Walter Barbe. When Bob read the column I wrote in Walter’s memory, he immediately reached out to tell me how much he‘d enjoyed it and to say how sorry he was for my loss.

The fact that Bob took the time to sit down and write when he knew I was hurting meant the world to me. But, that’s the kind of man he was: Thoughtful, empathetic, caring and just genuinely decent.

Bob’s last email arrived in my inbox just a few months before his passing. As usual, he asked about my family, complimented a story I’d recently written and told me how much he missed Honesdale.

I’ll always treasure the last line of that message … a message that will remain with me for a very long time. It reads: “Thank you so much again, Kevin! Be happy. Be at peace.”

These are good words. Heartfelt words. Words that I’d like to pass on to Bob’s family, his friends and the community as a whole. We definitely live in trying times, but perhaps the meaning of life really is just this simple and uncomplicated.

Be happy. Be at peace.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Columnist recalls Bob Mermell, the voice of Wayne County