William Meritt Rector

RECTOR, William Meritt
Died Friday, February 2, at the age of 61. He is lovingly remembered by his sister, Connie Rector Kinnison, his brother-in-law Bruce Kinnison and their two children Jed and Claire Kinnison as well as his many aunts and cousins who live in the Nevada City area. Meritt was a member of the Rector family in Nevada City. Born in Auburn, he grew up in Sacramento where his father, Dr. E. William Rector and mother, Evelyn Alice Rector, worked and raised their family. Meritt attended El Camino High School. A good student, he went on to the University of California at Santa Barbara. In 1966 epileptic seizures, evidenced in early adolescence, returned to change his life's direction. The illness prevented Meritt from completing his degree and he returned to Sacramento. Regardless, Meritt diligently persevered to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from Sacramento State University, a fact of which he was extremely proud. Meritt came to live in Nevada City when his parents retired and moved up in 1978. Though unable to drive or get regular employment, he lived independently and took a volunteer position with the Forestry Department where he helped catalog historic photographs of Nevada County. He loved the job and thrived under the supervision of Dick Markley. Meritt had a quirky yet remarkable memory and filled in bits of information that added to the recorded history of the area. He seldom forgot a friend's birthday. As his epilepsy progressed, he was no longer able to live independently. He entered the Brunswick Inn in Grass Valley where he has resided the last few years. Despite the forces that worked against him, Meritt had a remarkable ability to remain cheerful and optimistic. He loved art, music, good literature and gardening and spent hours tending his Bonsai plants. He will be remembered with love and respect for his strength, his will to survive and a wicked sense of humor. Arrangements by Hooper and Weaver Mortuary.