In Memoriam

Nancy J. Mercer
1940-2026

COOPERSTOWN—On Sunday morning, July 19, 2026, Nancy J. Mercer passed from this life peacefully in her residence at the Cooper Lane Apartments in Cooperstown with family by her side. She was 85.

A native of the Cooperstown area, Nancy Anne Jarvis was born August 26, 1940 at home in the Town of Middlefield, one of five children of Fred Stanley Jarvis and Goldie May (Merritt) Jarvis.

In 1942, Nancy and her family moved to Christian Hill, where she grew up on the family farm. She graduated from Cooperstown Central School with the Class of 1958.

On August 30, 1958, Nancy married John G. Mercer.

Nancy lived a very full life; she was married to her husband John for 47 years until his death in 2005. Together they raised three amazing children, started and successfully operated several businesses, traveled to many locations, and lived in different parts of New York. In 1995, John and Nancy fulfilled one of their dreams of living in Florida, where Nancy lived until the fall of 2025 when she returned to Cooperstown. She was an avid reader, amazing quilter, had an incredible sense of humor but most importantly she was always there to support her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She will be truly missed, but her memories will live forever.

Nancy is survived by her three children, Pamela S. Harloff of Toddsville, John “Jay” Mercer and wife Theresa of Osceola, New York, and Jeff Mercer and wife Leah of Tucson, Arizona; seven grandchildren, Lindsay Harloff Edmondson and husband Matthew of Braintree, Massachusetts, Christopher M. Harloff Jr. and wife Alyssa Granato of Westland, Michigan, William Harloff and girlfriend Jamie Bruce of Glens Falls, Amanda Rusin and husband Adrian of Bucharest, Romania, Nicholas Mercer and girlfriend Emily Carino of Columbia Falls, Montana, Rebecca Mercer and husband Quincy Gray of Flagstaff, Arizona, and Alexander Mercer of Phoenix, Arizona; and two great-grandchildren, Arabella and Leo Rusin of Bucharest, Romania. She is further survived by a sister, Janice Gray and husband Ken of Cooperstown, brother-in-law Eugene “Gene” Miller of Cooperstown, and several nieces and nephews.

Nancy was predeceased by her father, Stan, who died February 9, 2002; her mother, Goldie, who died December 21, 2011; her husband, John, who died February 8, 2005; a son-in-law, Christopher Michael Harloff Sr.; and three of her siblings, brothers Theodore “Ted” Jarvis, James “Jim” Jarvis, and sister Judith C. “Judy” Miller.  

At the request of the family, services will be private. Nancy will be laid to rest with her husband in the Fly Creek Valley Cemetery in Fly Creek.

In lieu of flowers, Nancy’s family would appreciate that donations in her memory be made to Helios Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.