Dr. Charles Mercieca

After high school, Dr. Mercieca went on to earn numerous degrees, a B.A. in English & Classics from Loyola College in Malta, a B.A. in Philosophy & Speech from Aloisianum College in Italy, a B.S. in Theology & Pedagogy from St. Louis University in Missouri, a M.S. in School Administration & Experimental Psychology from Kansas State University & finally a Ph.D. in Philosophy & Historical Foundations from the University of Kansas.

After college, being a man of principals, he accepted a position from the first university who responded to his application & thus began his 34 year teaching journey with Alabama A & M, where he was a professor of History, Philosophy, Political Science & Education Administration from 1967 to 2001. Over the years, he also accepted many temporary professorships, leading him to Harvard University, the National Autonomous University of Santa Ana in El Salvador, Tver State & Kiev Universities in Russia, & Kyung Hee University in South Korea. He was the Honorary President of the Swiss Business School in Zurich, Switzerland from 2001 to 2011.

Dr. Mercieca founded the International Association of Educators for World Peace (IAEWP), a non-profit NGO affiliated with the UN, in 1969, to promote world peace & safeguard international human rights. To further his mission, he traveled the world, working with spiritual leaders of the Zen Buddhists & Russian Orthodox faiths. He lectured in universities on six continents, speaking about social & educational concerns, advocating for peace & the elimination of racial prejudices. He was the recipient of innumerable honors & awards, individually & with IAEWP. He authored seven books & over 900 articles, many published in multiple languages.

Dr. Mercieca met the love of his life, his wife Sherry Watson on March 28, 1970, while buying a suit at GEX department store, & they were married two months later on May 28. They shared a beautiful life together for 31 years until her untimely passing left him widowed in 2001.

Dr. Mercieca is survived by his daughter, Juliette Mercieca Skiver, & son-in-law, Matt Skiver, of Irvine, CA; his son, Alexander Mercieca, daughter-in-law, Jennifer Burrell Mercieca & two granddaughters, Hannah & Bailey Mercieca, all of Huntsville, AL; his two sisters, Josephine & Adleen, brother, Vincent, & numerous nieces & nephews, all of Malta.

Visitation will be held Sunday, July 17, 2022 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Valhalla Funeral Home, 698 Winchester Road NE, Huntsville, AL 35811, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Kids for Peace.