Jeanne Pfitsch Merritt

After a brief illness, Jeanne Pfitsch Merritt of Atlanta, GA, died peacefully on January 28, 2024 at the age of 96. She was born on March 28, 1927, in Baltimore, MD, the only child of John Irvin Merritt and Irene Pfitsch Merritt. Educated in the Baltimore Public Schools, Notre Dame Preparatory School, Notre Dame of Maryland University and George Washington University School of Medical Technology, she had a 40-year career as a medical technologist in the laboratories of Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit and Emory University School of Medicine, Hospital and Clinic, Atlanta. She is survived by goddaughter Miriam Hamilton Bellis of St. Louis, MO, cousins, a host of friends and her little dog Tori.

A member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer since 1967, she served on the Congregation Council, the Board of Lutheran Towers, and as a volunteer in many other ministries. Supporting families and children in crisis was a major theme throughout Jeanne’s life. Through Lutheran Services of Georgia (now Inspiritus), she became personally involved in the resettlement of refugees in the Atlanta area. Through Plan International USA, she sponsored children around the world from 1951 until her death. In 1994, a group of congregations created Genesis Shelter (now a part of Our House) to provide a home for at risk newborns and their families. Jeanne represented Redeemer Lutheran as a founding congregation, serving on the Board. Her great joy was the coordination of the Genesis clothes closet for infants and children. Her legacy was the encouragement of the ministry’s expansion including a move to a larger location – providing transformative care to more families on the verge of homelessness and poverty.

Congregational care was of great importance to Jeanne. She was involved in the reorganization of the RedeemerCare Ministry, then providing leadership for this network of support to members in need throughout the metro Atlanta area. Her most recent involvement was as co-coordinator of the congregation’s Visitation Ministry, enabling members to be the hands and feet of Christ to those who are homebound. Jeanne was also a trained Stephen Minister and provided one-to-one, Christ-centered care to people experiencing life difficulties. Her care receivers were fortunate to experience her listening skills as she provided encouragement and emotional and spiritual support.

Faced with potential isolation during the pandemic, Jeanne was determined to stay connected and involved. Nowhere is this more evident than with her beloved Lifespan Resources. From 1999 until her death, Jeanne was an active member and proponent of life-long learning. She mastered the art of Zoom© and stayed connected via her laptop. She never missed an educational or social experience and even developed a new artistic expression in the creation of Zentangle© masterpieces.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 731 Peachtree Street, NE, Atlanta, GA 30308. A reception will follow in the Redeemer Atrium for friends to gather and celebrate her life. A graveside service and interment will be held at 11:00 a.m. on February 7, 2024, at Druid Ridge Cemetery, 7900 Park Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21208.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer for the Congregational Care Ministry or Faithful Hands Knitting Ministry.