Frederick William Mehrtens [Son | Brother | Veteran | Husband | Father | Grandfather-Great-grandfather]
Frederick William Mehrtens, age 92, of Atlantic Beach/St. Augustine, FL passed away peacefully in the early morning of September 20, 2023.
When his time came, he carried himself with courage, dignity and strength. He will be remembered most for the enormous love he had for his Family and Our Country.
Fred was born on November 10, 1930, to Beatrice and Albert Mehrtens in the Bronx, NY. His siblings included Albert Mehrtens Jr., Frank Mehrtens, and Patricia King.
Fred was a true Patriot and loved being an American. Following high school, Fred followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers [Albert and Frank] and enlisted in the United States Navy; from which he would honorably retire 22 years later.
On a 30-day leave early in his naval career, Fred met his wife of 67 years, Mary [Whelan], in NYC. They were married the following year. Together Fred and Mary raised 5 children: Mary Mehrtens-West [Roy] of Orlando, FL; Frederick Mehrtens [Julianne] of Reno, NV; Timothy Mehrtens [Sallie] of Grayslake, IL; Frances Mehrtens [Todd] of Middleburg, FL, and Patrick Mehrtens [Perrin] of Sparta, NJ.
He was “Big Fred” or “Mert” to many, but his 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren called him Pop Pop. He truly loved each of them [Justin and Rachel Sanders [Frances]; Zachary and Isabella Mehrtens [Timothy]; Madison and Ryan Mehrtens [Patrick]; William and Nina West [Mary]; and Elizabeth Mehrtens [Frederick]] and shared on multiple occasions that his children and their children were his greatest accomplishments. Without question, Fred’s family was what he was most proud of in his life.
Fred possessed a wonderful sense of humor and an unassuming intellect. He was an ardent student of military history and studied/watched endless documentaries on U.S. Military conflicts. He loved to hunt but loved preparing to hunt and talking about hunting, even more. Some of his greatest memories were from hunting trips he took with his sons and son in laws. Big Fred was a collector, a book enthusiast and had green thumb when it came to his yard and garden.
The hallmark of Big Fred Mehrtens was his adaptability and deep empathy for anyone needing help. He cared deeply and gave generously yet and required little acknowledgement in return. The two foundations that were dear to his heart were the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Foundation and the St. Joseph’s Indian School. A “Celebration of Life” with immediate family is planned for Big Fred, November 2023.
