Obituary of JEANNE MERTZ

Jeanne Mertz was born on September 6, 1928 to Bernhardt and Edith Wurtmann. She grew up in Blue Point, NY in a loving and supportive home. Jeanne was married to John E. Mertz in 1959. They met while both were working in New York City. She was tall and glamorous, bright and engaging with an easy laugh. She was drawn to his quick wit and sense of humor. His deep blue eyes sealed the deal. Together they raised two sons David and Stephen. A better mother you would be hard pressed to find. Their marriage lasted over 50 years and throughout they supported one another even through the tragic loss of their son Stephen and daughter Judith. She cared for John in his declining years until his passing in 2015. Jeanne was a classically trained violinist, graduating from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester NY. Jeanne’s career path, however, led to work as a radio DJ in upstate New York, acting in early TV commercials,secretarial work when she first moved to NYC in the 1950’s and as a publicist for Scandinavian Airlines. But it was her career as a Social Worker that most defined her life of work. After her two children were old enough to be in school she enrolled at Adelphi University and graduated with her MSW in 1981. She was hired to work as a counselor at the Employee Assistance Program then being run by the New York City Central Labor Council. She worked there for almost 20 years. She was 70 years old when the program contracted, and a time when many people would have considered retirement she found a new position working for the employee assistance program of Metro North Rail Road. For 20 yearsshe continued to commute every day to the city from her home in Valley Stream lending an air of sophistication to the suburban commuters in her stylish hats. She retired from Metro North the day after her 90th birthday. In the year that followed her retirement she continued to help and counsel people. She cherished her grandchildren Stephanie and Alex and could not have been prouder of them. She loved her son David and daughter-in-law Karen with all her heart. She will be missed by anyone who was fortunate enough to have known her.