Walter B. Mertes

Walter Bruno Mertes, 85, of Holyoke, passed away on Wednesday, August 10th, 2022, at Holyoke Medical Center. Born in Weisskirchen, Serbia, formerly Yugoslavia, to Philipp and Amalia (Schetz) Mertes, he immigrated to the United States in 1956 becoming a USA citizen and longtime Holyoke resident.
Walter was a toolmaker by trade and was the former owner and operator of Tirex Machine and Tool in Holyoke. Over the years, he owned other machine shops, was a co-owner of a convenience store on South St. in Holyoke and worked at local country clubs including Tekoa and Ledges.
He was a hard-working entrepreneur who provided well for his family.
Walter was an avid golfer and longtime member of the Wykoff Country Club in Holyoke.
He was proud of his ten 'hole in ones' and just missed qualifying for the pro senior tour.
Walter was a man in constant motion, he was an accomplished runner and boxer in his youth, loved to bicycle, and was very proud of his German heritage and being bilingual.
He is survived by his four children, Frank Mertes and his wife Patti of Holyoke, Michael Mertes and his wife Jill of Holyoke, Kevin Mertes and his wife Yoko of Los Alamos, NM and Tina Mertes of Windsor, CT; his brother, Manfred Jurgeleit of Germany and by his six adored grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother, Ernst Mertes.

Family and friends are invited to meet for a period of visitation on Tuesday, August 16, from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at the Messier Funeral Home, 1944 Northampton St., Holyoke, MA, followed by family reflections at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home. Committal prayers and burial will follow at Forestdale West Cemetery in Holyoke.
In leu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Walter's memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452.

To leave an online expression of sympathy for the family, please visit www.messierfuneralhome.com