Ann Merzbacher

Ann and my husband, Joe Zinn, met at a chamber music concert at the Nelson Music Room at Duke, East Campus. She noticed a book on the Bach cello suites he had with him, and began talking with him about music. Although both were there with their spouses, it was Joe's connection with Ann that led to our invitation to start attending concerts at Carol Woods. We did this for many years, and were welcomed to their home, afterwards, with other friends, to enjoy discussion and delicious food. ...

I was thinking about Mrs. Merzbacher today on the eve of this election.
https://achurchforstarvingartists.blog/2020/11/02/my-dad-mrs-merzbacher/?fbclid=IwAR0i8d-S1J8oqY5LD3Mn7ebSx99ncvUJAlZ8cu7GpIwBLzMiRGA-XVyg9hQ

I met Ann when we both enrolled as graduate students at Duke in 1949. We had been close friends ever since. I was also a close friend of her husband Eugen who was one of my teachers at Duke (he later moved to UNC.
I just found out of her passing in the Duke Alumni Journal. Arrivederci.

I knew Ann for about 60 year. Her husband was my advisor but she always treated me as a friend, not just her husband's advisee. When we were expecting about the same time, she suggested we 'have a race'. She won (Celia), but both our daughters are now well respected academics, in totally different fields. I remember fondly camping and blackberrying at Kerr Lake with her, and after I was thrown out of a car, she scooped me up out of the hospital and took good care of me until I was well on...

Ann was a treasure! As a passionnate music lover, she introduced us to the wonderful music at Carol Woods, with dear Eugen. She was so generous to all, and also a woman of great courage. One would dearly hope that there is a way for Ann and Eugen to find each other "on the other side" . We are so sad. We send our synmpathies to her much-loved family, of whom she was so proud.