From the obituary...

Laurence Mertl
Feb. 14, 1953 - Dec. 7, 2018
Sunnyvale
Larry was born to Paul Mertl and Elise Schonwald in Redwood City and at a young age settled in Palo Alto. He was husband to Gloria Day Mertl and father to JR who passed in 2007 and Samantha Mertl Wimmer. He was also grandfather to Laurence William Wimmer and half- brother of Jan Singer.
Larry's energy was limitless which fueled so much of his interests from skiing & sports to building & racing VWs, Anglias, Ford Escorts and Midgets. He was also involved in racing quarter midgets with the kids while they were growing up. Slowing down a bit from racing he got into cooking great BBQ and Curries, antique collecting and renovating houses. He loved spending time with his friends talking sports. He was a jack of all trades, there wasn't anything he didn't attempt to create or fix. He was a renaissance man of our times.
He started B&L Auto Repair in Mountain View with his buddy Bruce in 1977 and became sole owner in 1980. Customers depended on his extensive knowledge of cars and his honesty and integrity. When leaving the shop, you left knowing more about your car and time spent was just a little bit longer than planned, he loved to talk! A walk around the shop was filled with many reminders of days gone by, he kept everything. Doors closed in Nov. 2016 when he was diagnosed with Glioblastoma.
He loved his family and friends and will be forever remembered by the Day and Mertl Families and all his buddies growing up in the Green Meadow area of Palo Alto.
A private celebration of his life will be held in the spring.
We love you Larry and we miss you every day, give a big hug to JR for us.
Forever in our hearts,
The Mertl Family

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mercurynews/obituary.aspx?pid=191265872

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mercurynews/obituary.aspx?pid=191265872