Merz Kenton Peters

Merz Kenton Peters, aged 89, died peacefully at his home in Hamden, Connecticut, on March 5, 2024, surrounded by his family.

Born on March 21, 1934, in St. Petersburg, Florida, Merz's early life was marked by frequent moves, with the family moving six times over seven years due to his father's work as an electrical engineer. This fostered a close bond with his older sister, Kennetta. In later years, he often shared fond memories of selling War Bonds and tending their Victory Garden together during the war.

In 1945, Merz joined a Boy Scout troop in Washington, beginning a lifelong passion for the scouting organization. In 1948, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. For the rest of his life, he remained active in the Scouts, serving for many years as a member of the Manhattan Council Executive Board. He was honored for his service to the Scouts with the Silver Beaver Award in 1986 and with the Manhattan Council's President's Award in 2019.

After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1951, Merz attended Yale University, where he studied engineering and played percussion in the Yale Marching Band. Graduating with highest honors in 1955, he was elected to the honors societies Sigma Xi and Tau Beta Pi. He furthered his education with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1957, remaining an active alumnus of both institutions throughout his life.

From 1957 to 1959, Merz served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Following his military service, he embarked on a trip around the world. During his travels in Japan, he purchased a string of pearls, hoping that one day his bride would wear them on their wedding day.

In 1959, Merz began a long and fruitful career as an equities investment analyst in New York. He worked at the banking firm Brown Brothers Harriman until 1983, when he established his own private investment firm, Merz K. Peters and Associates. He served as president of the National Association of Petroleum Investment Analysts from 1984 to 1985. His work spanned a wide range of projects, from writing research reports for new equity issues on the American Stock Exchange to securing financing for investments in coal seam methane royalty rights in Alabama.

In May 1966, he met the love of his life, Nancy Champe, on a blind date to see the New York City Ballet. For the rest of his life, Merz loved to tell the story of how after the performance, they walked together all the way from Lincoln Center to Nancy's home on Gracie Square, talking and holding hands. By the end of September, they were engaged, and they were married at the Church of the Epiphany in New York on December 28, 1966. On their wedding day, Nancy wore the string of pearls Merz had brought home from Japan.

Soon, they started a family, with the arrival of Julie in 1969, Craig in 1970, and Cynthia in 1973. Merz cherished the time spent with his children, whether it was playing long games of Monopoly, throwing a ball around in Carl Schurz Park, or attending countless dance performances, piano recitals, and volleyball games. Summertime often found the family at the Champe farm in Maine, where Merz loved to fly kites high up over the open fields. Family gatherings at Thanksgiving took place at Starmont, the estate in Maryland where Merz's father raised daylilies. In later years, Merz carefully transplanted daylilies from Starmont to Champe farm, and from there to other family gardens. Memorable family vacations included a covered wagon trip in Kansas, where Merz's grandparents had homesteaded; camping trips as far away as Newfoundland and Labrador; World Fairs in Knoxville, New Orleans, and Vancouver; and spring breaks in Florida, with annual excursions to Walt Disney World, where Merz loved to marvel at the animatronic Ben Franklin ascending a staircase.

On vacations and at special events, Merz was often found, camera in hand, making sure the moment would be preserved on film. He enthusiastically embraced his role as the unofficial photographer/videographer for the annual Fourth of July family reunion in Maine. When the weather was rainy on the Fourth (and sometimes even when it wasn't), family and friends would crowd into a darkened living room to watch his carefully edited compilation of film clips from years past. He leaves behind a treasure trove of photos and home movies, full of countless happy memories.

Merz was a faithful and dedicated member of the Episcopal Church. For many years, the family attended the Church of the Epiphany, where Merz served on the vestry from 1970 to 1987, including seven years as warden. In 1993, he and Nancy moved to St. James Church, where he again served on the vestry. Over his many years at the church, he also served regularly as a lay reader, chalice bearer, and member of the handbell choir. He was an active participant in the Men's Spiritual Development Group, and served on the Grants Committee. One of his cherished memories was celebrating his birthday with a group staying at the church's homeless shelter. For many years, he played the part of King Herod in the annual Passion Play on Good Friday. In 2015, he and Nancy joined a group of parishioners on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

While Merz enjoyed a busy life in New York City, he remained an Eagle Scout at heart, relishing active adventures and long hikes well into his 80s. In the early 1990s, he and Nancy hiked portions of the Appalachian Trail, culminating in a hike up Mount Katahdin, the highest point in Maine. In 1993, he reached the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. In 2017, he and Nancy celebrated their 50th anniversary with a family trip to the Galapagos Islands, and in 2019, they followed up with a tour of the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, and Zion National Parks.

In 2002, Merz and Nancy bought a house in a wooded area at the end of an unpaved road at the Trail Club in Carmel, New York. With the children grown and professional obligations easing up, Merz discovered a new passion for sailing, spending many summer weekends racing his Sunfish in regattas held by the Pine Pond Yacht Club. As a novice sailor, he routinely came in last place during his first years at the Club, and he once described himself as having earned the "self-established honor of 'most capsized.'" But he kept at it until his skills gradually improved, impressing his fellow club-members with his combination of good sportsmanship and tireless work ethic. He served for ten years on the Pine Pond Yacht Club's leadership committee, including two years as "Commodore." In 2021, in recognition for his years of leadership, participation, and service, the club named one of the buoys in Pine Pond after him.

Throughout his life, Merz's greatest love was his family. He treasured his role as "Papa" to four grandchildren: Thalia, Corrigan, Tillman, and Eli. He was a favorite reader of bedtime stories and an enthusiastic companion on playground adventures. He attended countless soccer games, musical performances, and grandparents' visiting days at school. In Maine, he taught the grandchildren how to fly kites, and he loved to take them out sailing. He found great joy in sharing his faith with his grandchildren, attending church services and singing hymns on Sunday Zoom calls during Covid. In 2023, he was honored to become a godfather to Eli at his baptism.

Merz is survived by Nancy, his wife of 57 years; his children Julie, Craig, and Cynthia; daughter-in-law Janel and son-in-law Carl; grandchildren Thalia, Corrigan, Tillman, and Eli; and his sister Kennetta's children Karen, John, and Andy, and their families. He leaves behind an inspiring legacy of a life well-lived, filled with love, faith, and service to others.