Margaret Stover Mertz

MERTZ, DR. MARGARET STOVER
Dr. Margaret Stover Mertz, 57, who had many dear lifelong friends and is loved by each person whose life she touched, died January 4th, 2019 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, from complications arising from ovarian cancer. Margaret was born in Houston, Texas on May 22, 1961, the third of four children of Dr. Max Albert and Nancy Miller Mertz. Margaret had a deep faith and love of Jesus Christ, Son of God and our Lord and Savior. She was an accomplished pianist and avid reader, and had a voracious appetite for music and education that she blended together throughout her life. Her education includes a bachelor of arts from St. John’s College, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her graduate degrees at the masters and doctoral levels were in music from Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts. Margaret began her professional life as a lecturer at Harvard University, then returned to New Mexico to work first at the Armand Hammer United World College as an instructor in music and head of the Music Department, and then as Chair of the Department of Communication and Fine Arts at New Mexico Highlands University. Margaret moved to North Carolina to join the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts, first as Dean of General Studies and then as the long-term Executive Director of the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts, and later to Florida to serve as Associate Dean for the College of the Arts at the University of Florida. In 2014, Margaret returned to her much loved state of New Mexico working for St. John’s College, Santa Fe and then for St. Vincent’s Hospital Foundation. Margaret was a prolific and accomplished writer, lecturer and presenter in her field and was recognized through many honors and grants at St. John’s College, New Mexico Highlands University and Harvard University. She was proficient in numerous languages including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, and Latin. Margaret was proud of her rotary heritage. She was a member of the Rotary Club of Santa Fe, serving as its Service Projects chair and was President-Elect for the coming year.
Margaret was dedicated to the arts through volunteer service. She was a founder and long-time volunteer for Music from Angel Fire. She was a member of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for more than 20 years, which is taught in over 2,000 schools in 125 countries to students ranging in age from 3 to 19 years. Margaret began her association with International Baccalaureate while at the Armand Hammer College as an instructor, and then participated in committees developing music curriculum. Later she served as Chief Examiner in Music and finally as Vice Chair of International Baccalaureate’s Examining Board. Margaret also served for many years on the Board of Directors of South Arts, an organization dedicated to building and enhancing the arts heritage in the southern United States, and served in innumerable other music and arts capacities throughout the country.
Margaret is remembered with great love by her family including her mother Nancy Alma Miller Mertz with whom she enjoyed a deep and loving relationship; her sister Patricia Parker Mertz Moayedi, husband Alex of Sugarland, Texas, and their son Chris, wife Kim, and their children Madeline, Tess, Eli and Drew, of Baltimore, Maryland, and daughter Jennie Moayedi McCabe, husband Jonathan and their children Koralie and Max of Dripping Springs, Texas; her brother Max Edward Mertz, wife Valerie and their daughters Haley and Sarah, of Juneau, Alaska; her sister-in-law Sharon Mertz, and her children Grant and Valerie, of Lafayette, Louisiana; along with many aunts, uncles and cousins, and close friends, Dr. Leslie Kay, Dr. Susan Leonard and Dr. Roxanne Seagraves. Margaret was preceded in death by her father Max Albert Mertz and brother Aaron Wright Mertz. Margaret’s family is deeply grateful for her long-time care and support for her parents, Max and Nancy. She was a dedicated and loving daughter.
For those who wish to make a gift in celebration of Margaret’s life, please give in Memory of Dr. Margaret Stover Mertz to St. John’s College, Santa Fe, 1160 Camino Cruz Blanca, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505-4599, https://community.stjohnscollege.edu/giving (Please insert Margaret’s name in the box under the ‘other’ designation.), or to St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, 455 Saint Michaels Dr, Santa Fe, NM 87505 https://www.stvinfoundation.org/.
Services officiated by the Rev. Catherine Volland will be held at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, 550 W San Mateo Rd, Santa Fe, NM 87505 on January 19th at 2:00 pm. A reception will follow at the church. A private family burial will take place in the Moreno Valley, New Mexico in the summer. Rivera Family Funeral Home in Santa Fe is serving the Mertz family. Online condolences may be made at www.riverafamilyfuneralhome.com.