Chemistry Textbook Author, Teacher Phyllis Merrill Dies

FOUNTAIN VALLEY —  Phyllis Merrill, a longtime teacher at Fountain Valley High School and author of a chemistry textbook still widely used in high schools, died Tuesday at her home in Fairfield, Iowa, after a long battle with breast cancer. She was 66.

Merrill joined the Fountain Valley faculty when the school opened in 1967. She retired in 1987.

Merrill was the author of “Chemistry, Experimental Foundations,” which is used in many schools in this country and also in Europe and Japan, said James J. White, chairman of Fountain Valley’s science department and a colleague of Merrill’s.

Merrill received the UC Irvine Award for Excellence in High School Chemistry Teaching in 1983. Her former students nominated her for the honor, White said.

She also was nominated twice for California Teacher of the Year by the Huntington Beach Union High School District, where she taught for 26 years. She also taught at Westminster and Marina high schools.

Merrill is survived by her mother, Doris Merrill of Fountain Valley; brothers Ralph Merrill of Long Beach and Richard Merrill of Walnut Creek; daughters Carol Jones of Fairfield, Iowa, and Ara Johnson of Ashland, Ore.; sons Donald Dietz of Montgomery, Ala., and Paul Dietz of La Canada; eight grandchildren; and her longtime companion, Margo von Strohuber of Fairfield.

Memorial services were scheduled Thursday in Fairfield.