It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Andre Mercier, a cherished husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend.

Andre passed away at Stettler Hospital on Thursday, May 21, 2026, following a brief illness.

Andre was the sixth child born to Ella and Treffle Mercier in Bonnyville, Alberta on November 7, 1943. He was raised on the family farm east of Bonnyville and attended school in Fort Kent, Alberta. Andre loved helping with the harvest and riding horses. He was a sweet, curly-haired boy, good-natured, a little mischievous, with a daring spirit and gentle shyness about him.

On October 22, 1966, Andre married Lois Young. Shortly after, they moved to McBride, British Columbia, where Andre worked in a bush camp. They later settled in Blue River, British Columbia, where he continued operating heavy equipment.

After a couple of years, they returned to Alberta and, in 1969, bought their first home in Grand Centre. It was there they began raising their family, welcoming their daughter Kimberly and a year later, their son Shane.

While living in Grand Centre, Andre worked for many years at the Husky Service Station, but he also discovered a real passion for auction sales. That interest led him to attend Auctioneering school in Lacombe, Alberta. After completing his training, he started his own business, Mercier’s Auction Service, where he held consignment and farm sales, though his favorite was always antique sales.

In 1975, with the support of the Alcoholics Anonymous program, Andre chose sobriety. What began as a deep personal triumph became a lasting reflection of his strength and character. For more than 50 years, he remained committed to that path, offering encouragement, mentorship, and hope to many others along the way. As well, after many years of smoking, he found the strength to quit, drawing on the same strong will and determination that shaped so much of his life.

In 1979, the family moved to Sedgewick, Alberta, where Andre worked for an oilfield maintenance company and later as a maintenance man at the Sedgewick Seniors Lodge.

After the passing of Lois’s father in 1988, Andre and Lois moved back to Cold Lake to be closer to Lois’s mother. During that time, they also managed an apartment building, while Andre worked full-time as a maintenance man at the Cold Lake Lodge.

In 2000, Andre experienced his first heart attack. At the time, he was working for Waste Management, where he remained as a safety supervisor until his retirement. In 2004, he and Lois moved to Stettler. With both of their children and grandchildren living nearby, it meant a great deal to them to be close to family and to share in the everyday joys of watching them grow.

Andre was a hardworking man who valued staying active and keeping busy. After retirement, he hauled freight for his son’s flooring and paint store. Around that same time, the opportunity arose to seasonally manage River Creek RV Park. When Lois retired soon afterward, the two of them spent 10 very happy summers there together.

After Andre’s second heart attack in 2021, he decided it was time to step away from his work at River Creek and spend his summers enjoying the yard and home he and Lois loved in Stettler before later moving into Willow Creek Lodge. During this time, he also enjoyed many happy times at the Seniors Hub, playing cards and floor curling.

Andre enjoyed fishing, hunting, reading, and spending time outdoors. He was a talented handyman, a man of few words but deeply thoughtful and wise, with a truly grateful heart. His life was shaped by both joy and challenge, and he carried the lessons of that journey with humility, strength, and a deep appreciation for each day.

Andre will be fondly remembered as a man who worked hard, loved deeply, and stood firmly by his values. His kindness, strength, and unwavering devotion to family and friends left a lasting impression on all who knew him. Though he is gone, the lessons he taught, the laughter he shared, and the love he gave will live on in the hearts of those he leaves behind.

Andre will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his wife of fifty nine and a half years, Lois Mercier; daughter Kim Tillmar (Graham Adamson); son Shane (Jennifer) Mercier; grandchildren: Jeffrey

(Janene) Smitten, Cody (Alicia) Smitten, Brett Mercier and Erin Mercier; great grandchildren: Alli, Brinley, Cohen, Kyler and Rori Smitten; siblings: Zoel (Jeannine) Mercier, Rita Jorgenson, Lily (Harvey) Polsfut, Priscilla Mercier, Laura (Bert) Gagnon and Louise (Richard) Goltman; numerous nieces, nephews, other family and many dear friends.

Andre is predeceased by parents Ella and Treffle Mercier; son-in-law Shawn Tillmar; brothers Real Mercier and Laurent Mercier; brothers-in-law Richard Blackmore and Keith Jorgenson; and parents-in-law Marie and Delbert Young.

In accordance with Andre’s wishes, no funeral service will be held.

Memorial donations in Andre’s name are gratefully accepted to Willow Creek Lodge – Activities Program, 6020 47 Avenue, Stettler, Alberta T4K 0B7 or to The Hub Senior’s Club, c/o Doug Anderson, 6308-41 Avenue, Stettler, Alberta, T0C 2L0. Condolences may be sent to the family, please visit www.stettlerfuneralhome.com. Stettler Funeral Home & Crematorium entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements 403-742-3422.