By President Pete Rockx:

On January 27, 2021, another one of the Greater Manassas Volunteer Rescue Squad’s Charter Members, Woody T. Merchant Jr, joined many of his fellow founding members, whose names appear on the plaque pictured above. He was 87 when he passed.

I met Woody on May 16, 2016, when he agreed to sit down with Bennie Scarton Jr (a reporter for the Manassas Observer), and two of the Squad’s Life Members, David Burns and Gary Gallahan, a past Chief and President, respectively, to talk about the early days of the GMVRS (then named the Manassas Volunteer Rescue Squad). The occasion and focus of the interview was the Squad’s 50th anniversary, which was celebrated that year.

Woody spoke in a quiet unassuming tone, as he recalled how the Squad came into being, the many interrupted meals at home when his pager would go off, and the willing sacrifices made by he and his fellow volunteers to ensure Manassas residents received quality prehospital care at the time. To quote a small portion of Observer article written by Mr Scarton, published on May 20, 2016:

In 1966, a group of 16 concerned Manassas residents came together to organize and form the all-volunteer unit on a site at 9322 Center Street donated by the late Dudley Martin. Woody Merchant, one of the early volunteer members, recalls that, when he was nine years old, a friend of his was struck by a car while the two were bicycling. “I remember all of the things the medics did to help him survive, and I knew then when I grew up I wanted to help people out in an emergency,” he said. It was Merchant who approached Martin about the donation of the land for the current Rescue Station 1. Merchant said the building was erected for only $18,000, thanks to donations for supplies and volunteer workers.

After the interview, the group of us went outside the Station to pose for a photo in front of one of the ambulances. The photo was taken and appeared with the article, but Woody was not in it. He gracefully declined, not wishing to draw attention to himself…. a reflection of who he was, a humble community servant.  Woody will be missed, but his legacy will continue.  Thanks Woody for all you’ve done for the Squad and our City!