Susan A. (Zagarella) Mercado

Susan A. (Zagarella) Mercado

Susan A. (Zagarella) Mercado, 57, of Dracut, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, November 7, 2026, with her family by her side, following a courageous battle with leukemia. She was the beloved wife of Jose Mercado, with whom she shared 34 years of marriage, having exchanged vows on May 23, 1992.

Born in Lowell on February 17, 1969, Susan was a daughter of Catherine A. (Doyle) Zagarella and the late Joseph Salvatore Zagarella III. She was raised and educated in Lowell, graduating from Lowell High School, and went on to earn her associate degree in Biotechnology from Middlesex Community College.

Susan built a career she was deeply proud of as a quality control scientist in the pharmaceutical industry. She spent more than 15 years at Pfizer before joining Lantheus in 2011, where she continued her work until her illness forced her to retire.

Above all, Susan’s family was her greatest pride. She loved to cook and bake, and as the family’s party planner, she delighted in bringing everyone together. Whether at home, out at a restaurant, or on a trip to the beach, which she especially enjoyed, it was being with her family that made the time special. Susan was also a communicant of Immaculate Conception Church in Lowell.

In addition to her husband, Jose, Susan is survived by her daughter, Katelyn Maria Mercado, and her fiancé, Knud-Henry Louis, of Lowell; her son, Joseph Salvatore Mercado, and his fiancée, Danielle Cataldo, of Wakefield; her granddaughter, Isabel Louis; her mother, Catherine Zagarella of Lowell; her siblings, Joseph Salvatore Zagarella IV of Chelmsford, John W. Zagarella of North Andover, Mary J. (Zagarella) Lambert and her husband, John, of Tyngsboro, and Thomas J. Zagarella of Lowell; her in-laws, Maria Beaudry and her husband, Victor, of Lowell, Kelly Mulligan and her husband, Wayne, of Nashua, NH, Angela Baez and her husband, Steve, of Nashua, NH, and Tracy Fairweather of Tyngsboro; as well as many nieces, nephews, and close friends.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend Susan’s Funeral Mass, which will be celebrated on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Church, 144 East Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852. Committal prayers will follow at Saint Mary Cemetery in Tewksbury. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Mahoney Funeral Home, 187 Nesmith Street, Lowell, MA 01852.