Rev. David Lee Mercer

The Reverend David Lee Mercer, 51, of Kimball Township, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, December 9, 2012 as a result of a heart attack while on a mission trip to Nicaragua.

He was born November 8, 1961 in Owensboro, Kentucky to DL and the late Margie Mercer. He married Carol "Renee" Schell on August 21, 1982 in Panama City, Florida.

Rev. Mercer served the Lord in full-time ministry for 30 years. He was Senior Pastor of Hillside Wesleyan Church for the past six years and formerly served for 10 years as Senior Pastor at Deford Community Church in Michigan. He also pastored in Kentucky, Georgia and Tennessee. He was President of the Evangelical Ministerial Association, a board member of Operation Transformation, an assistant superintendent for the East Michigan District of the Wesleyan Church and served on district boards for Ministerial Development and Evangelism and Church Growth. He was a graduate and proud alumnus of Kentucky Mountain Bible College and traveled and sang in the "Crusaders" quartet in the early '80s.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 30 years, Renee; four children, Whitley (Kolby) Semrow, Ethan, Isaac and Josiah Mercer; his father, DL Mercer; two sisters, Becky (Herbie) Gibbs and Carol (Tim) Wright; two brothers, Timothy (Kim) Mercer and Jeffery (Karen) Mercer; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Visitation will be 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Friday in Hillside Wesleyan Church

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 15, 2012 in Colonial Woods Missionary Church with visitation beginning at 9:30 a.m. The Reverend Richard Meeks will officiate.

A funeral service and burial will be held next week in his home town of Owensboro, Kentucky.

Memorials may be made to the Kentucky Mountain Bible College scholarship fund or the Nicaragua Christian Education (NICE) Foundation for church planting.