Memorial set for student, mother

 
UNM community members will remember student Beatrice Dominguez-Meiers’ life at a memorial service Saturday morning.

Her son, James Meiers, said his mother was dedicated to serving people until the very end.

“It wasn’t until the last couple of months where she really got so sick that she couldn’t help people,” he said. “She wanted to go back to work until the very end. The doctors told her, ‘You can’t go back to work. You’re sick.’ But that was her life — helping other people.”

The rosary and Mass service begins at 9:30 a.m. Dominguez-Meiers, 65, died of liver failure Saturday. She served as the GPSA Lobby Committee Chair in 2007-08.

Friend Louis Martinez said Dominguez-Meiers treated everyone with kindness.

“She always helped you, and that was why people liked her so much,” he said. “When I was getting discouraged working on my master’s degree, she came to my side and encouraged me to finish.”

Dominguez-Meiers is survived by her two sons, Steve and James. She graduated from UNM in 2009 with a master’s degree in public administration. A lifelong activist with the Democratic Party, she was working on her doctorate, even through 18 months of chemotherapy.

“She was involved with the party for a long, long time,” friend Danny Hernandez said “She always gave me sage advice, and she took sides on just about every political issue.”

GPSA President Lissa Knudsen said Dominguez-Meiers’ passage is a loss to the graduate student community.  

“She was a dedicated student and public servant who contributed in many ways to improving the academic experience for graduate and professional students at the University of New Mexico,” she said.

Donations will be accepted in lieu of flowers, with the proceeds going toward establishing a scholarship fund in her name.

“She was such a good friend to so many people,” said Martinez, who knew her for 35 years. “Students, adults, children — she is one of those persons everyone seems to like and talk to. She was a really good listener. That’s why so many people also had a good relationship with her.”

Memorial Service
Saturday
Aquinas Newman Center
Rosary and Mass Service begin at 9:30 a.m.