Paul Stanley Mertens of Williamstown, New Jersey passed away on February 6, 2019. A private burial service will be held on Friday, March 22, 2019 at The Arlington Cemetery in Kearny, New Jersey. On Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 3:00 pm-6:00 pm, relatives and friends are invited to gather at Paul’s home on the lake for a time to share memories.
Paul was born on September 13, 1943 in Kearny, New Jersey to the late Wesley and Grace Mertens. He attended the University of South Carolina and made South Carolina his home before moving back north in 1978. Before retiring in 2001, Paul was the Director of Track Geometry Maintenance for Amtrak. After retirement, he greatly missed traveling and working on the railroad. He was a master craftsman and loved doing projects on his home and his children’s homes. Paul’s lifelong passion was attending performances at the Metropolitan Opera House at the Lincoln Center in NYC; it was his heaven on earth.
Paul loved his children, grandchildren and family dearly. He is survived by his children and grandchildren; Paula Aull (Robert), Vicki Lewter (Michael, Jr.), Mary Stites (Jon) and Andrew Mertens. Grampa of Stephanie, Katie, Haley, Seth, Braxton, Brandon, Whitney and his great-grandson, Colton. He is also survived by his favorite four-legged grandchild, “Buddy”.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Metropolitan Opera Association. Online memorials can be made at www.metopera.org/support/make-a-gift or a check mailed to The Metropolitan Opera Association, Attn: Gabriel Burnham, Metropolitan Opera, 30 Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023 with IMO Paul Mertens on the memo line.