Fred M. Mergendahl ... enjoyed flying, shooting

ROCHESTER - Fred M. Mergendahl, 73, of Rochester died Sunday, March 22, 2015, at Frisbie Memorial Hospital after a sudden illness.
He was born Aug. 30, 1941, in Saugerties, N.Y., son of the late Frederick and Anna (Rusnak) Mergendahl. He was a graduate of Penn Hills Senior High School of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University with a degree in mechanical engineering but most enjoyed his career in experimental engineering projects and manufacturing management. He worked at Pratt & Whitney for 36 years in Hartford, Conn., West Palm Beach, Fla. and No. Berwick, Maine. He has resided in Rochester for 19 years, previously living in Sanford, Maine and Marlborough, Conn.
He was an active member of Trinity Anglican Church in Rochester and the NRA. He enjoyed traveling, shooting, country music, reading historical books, any kind of puzzles, teaching gun safety and flying, as he had his private pilots license. Fred enjoyed volunteering at St. Charles Home for Children. He was willing to lend a helping hand to anyone. He enjoyed spending time with family, all his grandchildren and his many special friends. He was a very special person who will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Members of his family include his wife of 19 years, Eleanor (Belanger) Mergendahl; daughters, Amy Kane and husband Tom of Limington, Maine, Beth Mergendahl of S. Windsor, Conn.; grandchildren, Matthew and Ethan Kane, Nicholas LeBel, Noah and Joshua Pearson; stepdaughters, Kimberly Beardsworth and husband Frank of Dover, N.H., Kristen King and husband Daniel of Providence, RI, Kendra Ward of Strafford, N.H.; step- grandchildren, Heather and Christopher Beardsworth, Matthew and Charlotte King, Timothy and Kailey Ward and one great granddaughter, Chloe Cabral; his sister, Gail Mergendahl of Boone, N.C., and nieces Jill, Kim, Sarah and Carly. He was predeceased in death by a brother Richard.