Obituary of Robert J. Merada

Robert Joseph “Bob” Merada, 82 of St. Petersburg passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer and heart disease.

He was born on November 9, 1935 in Miami, Florida to the late Minnie Lee (Hopson) and John H. Merada. Bob graduated from San Diego State University in 1958 with a bachelor degree in Microbiology. He was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Bob also graduated with a bachelor degree from Southern College of Pharmacy, now Mercer College in Macon, Georgia. He worked for Kmart Corp. for 25 years as a Pharmacist where he retired and continued to work part-time at various other pharmacies afterwards.

 Bob was a member of the Alafia River Frontiersman State Rendezvous and the Elks Lodge #1224. He was an ARRL licensed Amateur Radio Operator (Ham) with the call sign WB4MCF. Bob also enjoyed hunting, range shooting, leather crafting, and building vintage muzzle loading guns.  He served proudly in the Army as a Specialist 4 Biological Sciences Assistant during the Cuban Missile Crisis, qualified as a Sharpshooter with rifles, Expert with pistols and was on the Fifth Army Pistol Team.

Bob is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Katherine “Kitty” (Herbermann) Merada; children, Michael (Carol), John (Denise), Donna Frederick (Richard), Paul (Judy); grandchildren, Trevor, Quinton, Kayleigh, Barbara (Frederick) Philpot (Harris), Rick Frederick, Susan McQueen; brother, James (Nancy); and a loving extended family.

A visitation will be held Friday, September 7 from 9am until the service at 10am, Anderson McQueen 7820 38^th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33710. In lieu of flowers, donations to be sent to Hospice. Condolences may be shared with the family at www.andersonmcqueen.com