Merlin Theodore McCandless born on October 4, 2001 in Fallon, Nevada. Merlin grew up and resided in Yerington, Nevada. Merlin recently graduated from Yerington High School on June 6, 2020 where he was honored to be freshman class president. Starting at an incredibly young age, Merlin loved to learn new things. At age 3 he started learning magic with his dad and became the youngest paid professional magician at the Nevada State Fair. Throughout the years, Merlin learned how to ride a unicycle and a 6-foot unicycle. Merlin learned hypnosis where he and his dad preformed a stage hypnosis show together. He took his love of learning outdoors. Merlin started out with the Boy Scouts, but that was not enough. He was a cyclist, kayaker, kite flyer and even became a hang glider pilot.

Merlin loved to volunteer his time to the Lyon County Fair and Rodeo where he received volunteer of the year in 2017. Then in 2019 Merlin attended RYLA, where he went in as a boy, and came out a man. Merlin also started working at a young age as a lifeguard his freshman year. He then worked for Wild West Chevrolet, and later moved to Ace hardware. Merlin's current employer was Sticks and Stones where he began shortly after graduation.

Merlin was a truly kind, gentle, generous, and loving young man. He had a great love for his family and friends. He was also a lover of all animals except snakes, which he was deathly afraid of. Merlin was big jokester. He would hide for 45 min just to scare someone. He loved to pick on his brothers and tease his sisters, like the time when he ambushed the family with a blow darts.
As he got older his love of craftmanship, inherited from his mother, started to shine through and he began to learn skills such as welding, drywall, mechanics and woodwork. With these skills and his drive to learn the bag pipes, Merlin was turned to the fire department.
Merlin's involvement with the Yerington Volunteer Fire Department began Friday, October 11, 2013 when he and his dad attended their first class to learn bagpipes together. From there Merlin preformed as the only bagpiper to join the Yerington High School band in the Northern Nevada Zone Band Festival. It was soon after his first lesson that Merlin's love for the fire department blossomed into a successful and passionate career. Merlin interviewed to be accepted into the explorer program on January 27, 2014, and was unanimously voted on that same day. It didn't take long for Merlin to start teaching new explorers things he had learned, and he quickly stood out as a valuable mentor to all members of the department. In his time as an explorer, Merlin served as President of the explorer program and attended every training opportunity that he came across. On September 26, 2019, exactly a week and a day before Merlin's 18th birthday, the Yerington Volunteer Fire Department voted Merlin on as a full time member. His membership became effective on his birthday. Three months later, on December 31, 2019, Merlin successfully passed the testing process as he worked towards earning his Firefighter 1 level certificate from the Nevada State Fire Marshall's Office.
Merlin was not afraid to work, and every day he would come down to the fire station, he would help with tasks that were being worked on. His attention to detail and artistry in welding and metal work will forever be displayed in front of Station 1, where he created the lettering above the engine and ladder truck.

Merlin will forever be remembered at the fire station for his work ethic, sense of humor, and most importantly, that smile that would brighten even the darkest of days. A quick magic trick was always waiting around the corner with him, with an audience of his peers. His daily visits to help and respond to calls to serve the community he loved will be missed by all that knew and loved him.
Merlin is survived by Father Donald McCandless (Sherri); Mother Katrina McCandless; brothers Darby, Tyler, Maxwell, and Aiden; sisters Kimmy and Hailey; Grandmother Mary McCandless and Grandfather Dave McCandless (Deanna); numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He is preceded in death by grandparents Edwin and Kathleen Brown and Uncle Jason McCandless.
Merlin was immensely loved and will be missed dearly. His legacy will live on.

Memorial service will be held at 6 pm July 5, 2020 at Yerington/Mason Valley Fire 118 South Main Street Yerington, NV 89447.  Family and friends are invited to sign his online guest book at www.FRFH.net

Arrangements are under the direction of Freitas Rupracht Funeral Home, 25 Hwy 208 Yerington, Nevada 89447 (775) 463-2911