For 22 years, Jan Merz was a staunch advocate for the students of the Fort Dodge Community School District.

Merz, who died Aug. 6 at age 76, was a member of the district’s Board of Education from 1991 to 2013.

Serving on a school board involves much, much more than going to a couple meetings a month and voting on some agenda items. To govern a school district, a board member must become familiar with everything from reading curriculum to roofing materials.

Doing all that was a challenge that Merz eagerly embraced. She wanted to make a difference in the lives of students by taking on that challenge, and was so determined to do so that she ran for a board seat a couple of times before finally being elected.

After being elected, she repeatedly earned the Better Boardsmanship Award from the Iowa Association of School Boards. She served as the president of the board for two years.

David Haggard was the district’s superintendent for most of the time that Merz was on the board. He recently recalled that Merz would thoroughly question him about any proposals he presented to the board. He said her final question was always “Is this good for all kids?”

At her final board meeting in 2013, board President Stu Cochrane told Merz that the thousands of students who passed through the halls of Fort Dodge schools during her long tenure “are better for you having served on the board.”

It is a safe bet that most of those students had no idea how hard Merz was working for them so that they could have a good education and an even better future.

On behalf of all those students and their families we offer our gratitude for the distinguished service of Jan Merz. She was a true champion of education.