Samuel Mercantini

Sam Mercantini, 90, died Sunday, January 18, 2026, at home in Mishawaka.

The only son of Joseph and Angeline (Baldoni) Mercantini, he was born on December 19, 1935, in Mishawaka, IN, and though having lived in other cities, he always returned to Mishawaka.

A 1954 graduate of Mishawaka High School, he received a BA from Kalamazoo College in 1958 and was a Woodrow Wilson fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, receiving a MA in 1959.

His professional life included being the first political science instructor at IUSB, teaching political science and economics at St. Mary’s College, IUPUI and Michigan State University; reporter for the Mishawaka Times and the Elkhart Truth; news director of Channel 28; a partner in the development of Jellystone Park, Plymouth, IN; the former publisher/owner of the Mishawaka Enterprise, the Argus Reflector and the South Bend Weekly; acting Director of the General Assistance Center, IUPUI, Indianapolis; assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction for Federal Programs; Executive Director of the Neighborhood Business Development Center, South Bend.

A lifelong yellow dog Democrat, he established the first district Congressional office for then Congressman John Brademas; was assistant press aide to US Senator Birch Bayh in Washington D.C., was Mishawaka Democratic Party Chairman; managed campaigns for candidates for office from Penn twp. Trustee to US Senator Vance Hartke, State Superintendent of Public instruction John Loughlin; Dick Bodine for Congress, several members of the Mishawaka City Council as well as many other campaigns.

A lifelong traveler, he was a member of a Rotary Group Study Exchange team which visited Fiji and New Zealand and he then continued around the world visiting Australia, South Africa, Kenya and Great Britain. He also traveled up the Amazon River, watched the seal kill in the Pribilof Islands, visited Nome, toured Egypt and was in Paris in 2016 when 130 people were killed in a terrorist attack.

Long active in community affairs, at one time or other, he was a member of the boards of directors of the DeAmicis Club; St. Joseph County Parks; the Zoological Society; the Southold Historical Society; the Friends of the MPHP library and Penelope 60 apartments.

A longtime real estate broker, he restored the Niles Weiss House, 410 LWE, Mishawaka, which won a prize for restoration.

He considered himself extremely lucky that his grandparents had the drive to leave Italy and immigrate to the US, but they could have picked a warmer place than northern Indiana.

He also considered himself lucky that he had the parents and family that he had in growing up in Mishawaka’s West End.

His remaining relatives include several cousins.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, April 21 from 10:00 AM- 11:00 AM, in Hahn Funeral Home, 505 W. 8th Street, Mishawaka. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 AM, in St. Bavo Catholic Church, Mishawaka with Fr. Pete Pascini CSC officiating. A private inurnment will take place in Fairview Cemetery, Mishawaka.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the MPHP Library book purchase fund.

To leave an online condolence or to share a memory, please visit www.hahnfuneralhomes.com

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