Merry Eleanor Converse

Merry Eleanor Converse 

(December 20, 1933 – March 14, 2025)

Merry Eleanor (Rhys) Converse passed away on March 14th, 2025, at 91, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Merry was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, on December 20, 1933, to Glyndwr Llewellyn Rhys and Eleanor (Post) Rhys.

Merry was a loving, strong, independent, and active woman who cared about people and social issues and took active steps to help both. These attributes, along with her love of different cultures and sense of adventure, inspired her family and those who knew her.

She graduated from Gettysburg College in 1954, receiving a B.A. degree in Psychology in only 3 years.

Merry met her husband, Alvin Converse, in Philadelphia while visiting from NYC. They married in Philadelphia on September 11, 1954, and were together for 70+ years before Alvin passed away in January 2025.

Merry and Al lived in Wilmington, DE; Pittsburg, PA; and Hanover, NH, before moving to Norwich, VT, in 1963. They lived in Norwich, Vermont, until 2012. While there, she held several jobs and volunteer positions in the area, assisting women, children, and families in one way or another. She decided to become a lawyer to help women in difficult situations. Instead of going to law school, she clerked for the White River Junction public defender’s office, and in 1978, she passed the Vermont Bar exam on her first try. With her legal training, she was able to help many women and families.

Merry and Al also lived briefly in Australia, Japan, and France. They loved to travel and hike. At age 60, Merry and Al walked the Grande Randonnée 5 from the coast of Holland to Menton, France (~ 1400 miles). Later in life, she became a passionate artist who loved the landscape and diverse cultures of New Mexico. This passion eventually led to their move to Santa Fe in 2012.

Merry is survived by her sons David Converse (wife Robin) of Estes Park, CO, Tom Converse of Lanesborough, MA and James Converse (wife Cindy Sprague) of Huntington, VT, her grandchildren Ethan Converse (wife Annamara Caughey) and Iris Converse (husband Robert Cooper), her great-grandchildren Charlie and Evelyn Cooper, her nieces Paula Mandle, Donna Converse, Nancy Cimprich, Lynne Nicolau Segal and her nephews Robert Mandle and Bob Nicolau.

The family will hold a private celebration of life service. In place of flowers, a donation to a food bank such as The Food Depot of Santa Fe (https://thefooddepot.org/) or your local food bin in Merry’s name would be appreciated.