Reuben and Violet Merchant, W2LGF and WA2SQU, Silent Keys July 2013

W2BK knew W2LGF from Hudson Valley Community College and I found this info online.

http://pasadenaradioclub.org/PRC_Bulletin//PRC_201308_web.pdf






Reuben “Rube” Merchant of Pasadena, age 96, died on

July 18, 2013 from complications following hip surgery.
He was born on April 25, 1917 in Pine Plains, NY, the
son of John Crapo Merchant and Abbidee Kingman
Merchant. Reuben lived most of his childhood and adult
years in Nassau, NY and was an avid supporter of his
community.
He graduated from Rensselaer High School

(Rensselaer, NY), Union College (NY) (BS in Electrical
Engineering), and State University of New York at
Albany (Masters in Public Administration).

Sadly, Violet, his wife of 68 years, succumbed a few
days after Reuben, at the age of 93. She was born on
November 10, 1919.




Reuben married Violet Norden, July 14, 1945, in
Manhasset, Long Island, NY, when he was working at
Sperry Rand in Garden City, Long Island, NY. After a
few years he moved back to Nassau, NY where he raised
his family. For most of his career he worked at Hudson
Valley Community College in Troy, NY, first teaching
math and physics, and later serving in various senior
administrative positions including Director of Evening
Studies, Dean, Provost, and Executive Vice President of
the college.
In retirement, Reuben lived in Queensbury,

N.Y., Henderson, NV, and Pasadena, CA, and he traveled
throughout much of the United States with his wife,
Violet, in their RV.
His hobbies included amateur radio,

square dance calling, folk dancing, gardening, and
fishing. He was a member of multiple amateur radio
clubs, Rotary Club International, the Family Motor
Home Coach Association, and Skandia Lodge.


They are both survived by their son and daughter-in-law,
Kenneth and Gail Worth Merchant of La Canada
Flintridge, CA; daughter and son-in-law, Virginia
Merchant and John Dover, of North Hampton, NH; five
grandchildren: Madelyn Merchant, Abbidee Merchant,
Travis Dover, Jackson Dover, and Russell Dover (wife,
Leticia Villalón Soler), and one great granddaughter,
Lucía. Reuben was preceded in death by his sister,
Cornelia Merchant Hagenau, and his brother, John
Merchant.

Reuben was a regular contributor to the Monday
morning 14.257 HF net and 145.180 Tuesday evening
PRC net and others. His deep voice and easily
remembered phonetic call sign “W2 Lets Go Fishing”
quickly made him a welcome member of a QSO. Rube
and Violet attended breakfast meetings with fellow PRC
members at Brookside Restaurant.
Reuben was a generous, hardworking, humble and
honest man with a delightful sense of humor. He always
tried to make life easier for those around him. They will
be deeply missed by family, friends, and the many who
benefited from their warm friendship.
A graveside memorial will be held at the family
cemetery plot in Nassau, NY.
In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be sent to
the Amateur Radio Club at Hudson Valley Community
College, Amstuz Hall Room 107, 80 Vandenburgh Ave.,
Troy, NY 12180







73 K2HAT Lee Hatfield Jr