David Lynn Merbach

A funeral mass for David L. Merbach, 46, of Rochester, MN will be at 11:00 am on Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at Pax Christi Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph Keefe officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00 pm on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes and also one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church. Cremation will follow the funeral mass.David Lynn Merbach was born on October 3, 1964 in Breckenridge, MN to Lawrence and Kathryn (Gross) Merbach. He died on March 27, 2011 at Rochester Methodist Hospital.David graduated from Claymont High School in Uhrichsville, OH in 1983. He attended North Dakota State School of Science from 1983-1985 and graduated with an associates degree and later graduated from North Dakota State University in the fall of 1987 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.David worked for IDA in Fargo, ND for one year and started with IBM in Rochester, MN in 1988. David married Sarah Stockert in Dickinson, ND on May 17, 1991 and they made their home in Rochester where Sarah is the Director of Pharmacy at Olmsted Medical Center. From 2000-2001 David worked for IBM in San Jose, CA. David was a senior engineer at IBM in the Tivoli storage division as a product architect. David was a Master Inventor and had 25 patents, which was the eighth plateau. David was a member of Pax Christi Catholic Church and was involved with RCIA and as a catechist instructor. Dave's greatest passion was scuba diving and traveling. He was PADI certified in Monterey, CA in 2000 and as a dive master in 2006. He was past president and current editor of the Rochester Snorkel and Scuba Club.Survivors include his wife, Sarah Merbach of Rochester, MN; his daughter, Monica Merbach and his son, John Merbach, both at home; his father and step-mother, Lawrence Merbach and Renelle Bertsch of Wahpeton, ND; his mother, Kathryn Merbach of Dennison, OH; his brother, James (Michelle) Merbach of Troy, MI and his sister, Stephanie Bertsch-Merbach of Denver, CO. David was preceded in death by his sister, Linda Merbach, his grandparents, and his mother's special friend, George Ellis.Dave had a painful and intense struggle with cancer the last nineteen months, but also the triumph of love, caring, hope, family commitment and the determination to "keep on keeping on" day to day, always looking for new options, never giving up and an ever present thankful attitude. Dave was a man blessed with great strength, faith, determination, a powerful and positive attitude, a great sense of humor and a wonderful, loving and caring family. Memorials can be directed to Pax Christi Catholic Church or pmppals.org