Victor Mercado, pastor and assistant principal at Kensington Health Sciences Academy, has died at 65

Victor Mercado, 65, of Philadelphia, a well-loved Philadelphia School District assistant principal and pastor, died Thursday, July 4, of leukemia at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Mercado inspired students — and congregants — with his kindness, his calm, and his belief in others. He was known at Kensington Health Sciences Academy, the Philadelphia public high school where he was an assistant principal for the last seven years, as “Supermercado” for his enthusiasm, his people skills, his ability to soothe even the most agitated students.

“He was a school district legend,” said Nimet Eren, KHSA principal. “There are just certain people who dedicate their life to this school district, and he was one, and he did so with grace, and excitement, and love and rigor. He was really just about the kids and the families.”

Born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, to Pablo Mercado and Margarita Hernandez, Mr. Mercado moved to Philadelphia when he was a year old. He grew up in North Philadelphia and graduated from Olney High School.

After high school, Mr. Mercado entered the workforce immediately, eager to bring in money to help his family. He held jobs at a hardware store and a mental health facility.

Eventually, Mr. Mercado felt called to become a teacher, and juggled a full-time job, raising a family, and attending school on his path to do so. He studied at Community College of Philadelphia, then earned degrees from Temple University and then-Cabrini College. Next year, he would have celebrated 30 years working in Philadelphia schools.

Mr. Mercado taught and was dean of students at Stetson Middle School for years, and, in 2017, moved to KHSA as the ninth-grade assistant principal. Eren came to KHSA the same year, and was immediately put at ease by Mr. Mercado, who prioritized relationships and making school joyful — calling families at night, relishing the pizza parties and holiday celebrations and honor roll recognition that KHSA is known for.

“He was always down to wear the Philly sports gear or make someone’s winter break a little bit more special by giving them a gift,” Eren said. “He was a role model for all of our students, but especially for our Latino male students. There would be so many kids who were newcomers, and when Mr. Mercado would break into not just Spanish, but Puerto Rican slang, the kids would be caught off guard, and so excited.”

In addition to his work in education, Mr. Mercado was co-pastor of Iglesia de Dios Evangelica in North Philadelphia. Between school and church, Susanna Mercado, one of Mr. Mercado’s daughters, joked that you couldn’t go out with him anywhere in Philadelphia without him running into someone he knew.

“He was so well known, all over the city,” said Daniel Mercado, Mr. Mercado’s son.

Mr. Mercado, who lived in the city’s Fox Chase section at the time of his death, was a fan of all Philadelphia sports, and loved to garden; even now, his family is enjoying tomatoes he grew. He loved “Star Trek” and Star Wars, and he loved to eat: hoagies and cheesesteaks, but also sushi and other kinds of cuisine. And he was handy — he could fix a car or a washing machine, and if he came across a breakdown he couldn’t solve intuitively, he’d take to YouTube to figure it out.

“He was the kind of guy who’d give you the shirt off his back, not just for his family, but for everyone,” said Daniel Mercado.

“He was silly — he loved jokes and puns, and his laughter was infectious,” said Susanna Mercado. He fully embraced his corniness.

Family was paramount to Mr. Mercado, who was enormously proud of his three children and three grandchildren.

He was married for 42 years to Wanda Mercado, who lived across the street from him growing up.

“He was the quiet, silent type, very intriguing, tall, dark and handsome. He was such a jokester — he would say, ‘tall dark and gruesome,’” said Wanda Mercado.

The Mercados supported each other, always. First, Mr. Mercado went back to school to earn his degrees, then he cheered on his wife as she did the same. And they ran a youth group at their church, encouraging young people to work hard and achieve, as they did.

Besides his son, daughter and wife, Mr. Mercado is survived by another daughter, Alicia; three grandchildren; two sisters; and a brother.

A viewing will be held Wednesday at 9 a.m. Guckin Funeral Mansion, 3330 G. St., Philadelphia, with burial to follow at 12:30 p.m. in Lawnview Cemetery, 500 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge, Pa. Kensington Health Sciences Academy will be holding a celebration of life for Mr. Mercado at the school, 2463 Emerald St., Philadelphia, on Aug. 15 at 1 p.m.

Donations in his name may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Box 22324, New York, N.Y. 10087.