COAST CITIES — Assemblymember Rocky Chávez (R-Oceanside) recognized Margret Merlock as the Assembly District 76 Woman of the Year in a special ceremony held at the State Capitol.
Merlock came to the United States with her family during the 1940s to escape persecution in their native Germany during World War II. She moved to Oceanside in 1977, where she became involved in the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. As a registered nurse, Merlock has always been an advocate for improving the well-being of the community.
She has served on the Tri-City Hospital Board for more than 16 years and has been involved in a variety of groups during that time. She currently serves on the Teenage Pregnancy Committee with the Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside. She has volunteered in the Oceanside Unified School District schools for many years and also at the Oceanside Public Library.
Merlock has joined a group of doctors and nurses from UCSD Interface Program making trips to the interior of Mexico to perform cleft palate surgeries on children. She often takes medicine and supplies with her to Mexico, providing aid to those served by rural, poor hospitals. Merlock also helped form a hospital in Tijuana.
“I am proud to recognize Margret Merlock as the 2014 District 76 Woman of the Year,” Chávez said. “She exemplifies the qualities of a role-model and has shown so much compassion, not only for the residents of Oceanside, but also for poor communities in Mexico.”
