Merlin Szasz

SZÄSZ, MERLIN Sculptor, Medalist and RISD Professor, passed away April 16, 2013. He is survived by his brother Gary Szösz of Raleigh, NC; his children Noah, Eva, and Matthew Szösz; daughters-in-law Blakely Szösz and Anna Mlasowsky and three grand-daughters Amelia, Charlotte, and Phoebe. Merlin's wife, Carol "Woodie" Szösz, with whom he enjoyed a happy marriage that spanned half a century, passed away in 2005. Merlin was born in Lima, Ohio on Halloween 1936. He came to RISD to teach in 1960 and served as Associate Dean of the College and Provost before being promoted to Professor of Foundation Studies in 1976. He received the L. C. Tiffany Award; the John R. Frazier Award; the American Numismatic Association's Award for Excellence and was the United States delegate to FIDEM. He created sculpture and medallic works for Harvard, Cornell, Barnard, RISD, the Providence Performing Arts Center and Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in West Warwick, RI. In 1997 he completed the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial of Albany County. Examples of his work reside in the collections of the RISD Museum, the Smithsonian Institute, the British Museum, and the House of Lords, London. In addition to serving on numerous RISD boards he volunteered in his small town of Foster, Rhode Island, where he served as Acting Fire Chief, and a member of the Ambulance Corps, Library Building Committee, and Planning Board. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 27 at 3:30 PM at the First Unitarian Church, 1 Benevolent Street, Providence. A reception will follow at 5 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made out to the Edna Lawrence Nature Lab, c/o Rhode Island School of Design, 2 College Street, Providence, RI 02903 with a notation specifying the Merlin Szäsz Legacy Fund. Information and condolences at carpenterjenks.com.