A former counselor and dean of women known by her campers, fellow staff members and friends as “Aunt Mert” has gone home to be with the Lord.
Muriel “Aunt Mert” Loveland, 88, was called home on Feb. 22 after a long and fruitful life serving the Lord not only at Delanco Camp but at her church, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, and in her community of Port Republic.
Aunt Mert was saved in 1953 and invited to Delanco Camp when it was in Delanco by Carl Farrell to be the craft lady for the week. For many years she was a counselor, became a stockholder (now known as member) in 1964 and served as the dean of women at Teen Camp until 1984. From 1985 to 2003, she was a regular camper at Camp Meeting.
A graduate of Garden State Bible School of Atlantic City, she worked for Lenox China for 30 years and raised three children: Mo, Dean and Connie String, who was a speaker at our Annual Dinner last year. She has nine grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
There will be a visitation on Saturday, March 2, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 118 Main Street, Port Republic, NJ, followed by a celebration of her life. Burial will be private. Arrangements by Wimberg Funeral Home, Galloway, NJ (609) 641-0001.
For condolences, please visit wimbergfuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul’s UM Church, PO Box 283, Port Republic, NJ 08241 or Delanco Camp, 191 Powell Rd., Tabernacle, NJ 08088.
If you have a memory of Aunt Mert at camp, please share it in the comments.
Whoa.
Wow such a classy lady, no matter who you were or what you did, she was always there to encourage and help in any way. She was truly a women of God. Such a sweet sweet spirit, what a rejoicing time in Heaven. So many fond and happy memories, so thankful & blessed to have had her as a friend. Her presemce will be missed at Camp for sure. Just sitting here remembering, I can hear her laugh.
Aunt Mert always had time to talk with me. I mean she really talked to me.
I remember Dean and how cool he was in a Fonzi kind of way, before there was a Fonzi, maybe when I was 10 or 12 around 1970. One time she laughed so hard her teeth flew right out of her mouth.
I have not Sean Aunt Mert in over 37 years but this news makes me cry.
Wish I could be there.
Danny and I were blessed to know Aunt Mert and to be able visit with her family and Delanco friends this morning. She truly was such a special lady. I was a camper when Aunt Mert was Dean of Women for Teen Camp and really got to know her better as I took my small children to camp meeting years later. I have no doubt heaven is rejoicing at her arrival, but she will be missed here on earth. We love you, Aunt Mert.
I think I was in junior high summer of 1967?? at campmeeting when I got Aunt Mert to give me a new haircut. She was nervous that maybe my mother would be upset and she must have prayed very hard about it, because when I returned home my mother was thrilled about how it looked (and my mother was a very critical person). I will always remember her and everyone else I ever met at camp. When I was older I sent 2 of my own children-they could care less about camp and I was truly crushed. So glad I found this web site.