David Mercaldo, deeply involved in Staten Island arts scene, dies at 74. A local Renaissance man, he was teacher, writer and actor.
Updated Jan 13, 2021;
David Mercaldo, 74, a former Oakwood resident who combined teaching, writing, acting and even a little politics into a rich and rewarding career and whose kindness and generosity were admired by friends and family, died Jan. 9 in Harrisburg (Pa.) Hospital of complications from pancreatic cancer.
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, Dr. Mercaldo graduated from Martin Van Buren High School, where he was elected president of the senior class. He followed in his older brother’s footsteps by earning a bachelor’s degree from Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo., and later completed a master’s degree at the former Richmond College, now the College of Staten Island, and a doctoral degree from the former Columbia Pacific University.