The Honorable Judge Merrill Charles Trader, age 92, of Dover, Delaware, passed away peacefully in the presence of both his son and his caregiver at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware on Thursday, October 10, 2024. Merrill was born to the late Rev. Dr. John and Ruth Trader in Cherrydale, Virginia on January 4, 1932.
Merrill graduated from Western Maryland College in 1954 and Washington and Lee Law School in 1958, passing both the Virginia and Delaware Bar that year. In private practice, he was an associate with Harold Schmittinger and with Hope and Harmanson. He was appointed assistant deputy attorney general in 1963 where he worked until 1969. In 1969, he was appointed a Master in the Family Court. In 1972, he was appointed Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, serving for three consecutive terms, receiving the prestigious Order of the First State and being named judge of the year for outstanding judicial service. He was a deeply kind man with a sharp mind and good sense of humor. His hobbies, outside of political and judicial commentary, included tennis, gardening, and swimnastics at the YMCA. He was an avid reader of theological works, presidential biographies, and classical English literature as well as a great lover of the music and cinema of the 30s-50s.
Merrill is preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife, Mary Elenore Trader (1937-2021).
He is survived by his son, Rev. Dr. John Trader (known in the Orthodox Church as the right-reverend Alexei, Bishop of Sitka and Alaska), his brother-in-law, Purnal Friedel, his niece Debra Carrie and husband Mark, great niece Lea Carrie and great nephew Dustin Carrie.
Services will be held in Dover, Delaware. Viewing will be held on Thursday Evening, October 17th from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm at Torbert's Funeral Home; Funeral Mass on Friday, October 18th at 10:00 am at Holy Cross Church; and interment at 11:30 am at Lakeside Cemetery, Dover, Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, Dover, Delaware.