Gina Meritt, mother of Mark Meritt (Professor of Rhetoric and Language), passed away at the age of 86 on March 22, 2025.
Born Regina Gabriella Chiari on August 12, 1938 in Baghdad, Iraq, Gina Meritt arrived in San Francisco in the late 1950s, where she was warmly welcomed by the Catholic community at St. Boniface Church. Gina maintained a connection to St. Boniface throughout the many adventures of her life, among them three semesters of study at the University of San Francisco (in 1961 and 1962), marriage to Jim Meritt, motherhood, grandmotherhood, and world travel. She is remembered with love and admiration for her tenacity, generosity, and authenticity.
A funeral mass was held for Gina at St. Boniface Church on April 28, 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Gina's memory to the St. Anthony Foundation through St. Boniface Church in San Francisco.