Bob Mercer
MERCER, Robert William (Bob), BE FIEAust (1944-2019)
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Bob was born on July 2, 1944, the son of accountant David Francis Mercer and his wife, Winifred Alderson Mercer nee Edwards. He grew up in Geraldton and completed his secondary education at Geraldton High School.
His father had died in May 1952 leaving Winfred to raise the three children.
In 1962 he enrolled in engineering at the University of Western Australia, living in St Georges College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in 1967.
Bob first worked in the United Kingdom and South Africa. By 1972 he had returned to Perth to work with consulting engineers Wood and Grieve. He led the civil section and became Managing Director on Tony Wood’s retirement in 1992. Under Bob’s direction, Wood & Grieve Engineers grew to become a successful multi-discipline national consulting engineering firm. Bob retired in 2003.
Since Bob’s retirement, Wood and Grieve Engineers continued to go from strength to strength until it was acquired in 2019 by international consulting group Stantec to become Stantec Australia.
Bob married occupational therapist Diana Elizabeth Royce on November 15, 1967, in St Georges Chapel.
Bob joined the Institution of Engineers as a Student Member later progressing to become a Fellow. He was Chairman of the Association of Consulting Engineers Australia from 1986 to 1987. Bob was also heavily involved with the Urban Development Institute of Australia.
Bob died on November 21, 2019, aged 75, following a battle with Lymphoma.
References:
The Georgian Summer 2019-2020
