Remembering Eugene Mercy, Jr. ’59

Mercy made significant contributions to Lehigh as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1983 to 2001, serving as both an appointed and corporate trustee and vice chairman of the board from 1994 to 2000. He was appointed as an emeritus trustee in 2002 and was also a member of Lehigh’s Wall Street Council.

“Gene Mercy’s leadership and dedicated service to the Board of Trustees was exemplary and his continued support to Lehigh was unwavering. He understood the transformative power of philanthropy to improve the human condition. His generosity touched the lives of countless individuals, including so many Lehigh students,” said Lehigh Board Chair Vincent Forlenza. “Gene’s impact will be lasting.”

“Lehigh benefited greatly from Gene Mercy's dedication and wise counsel while he was a trustee,” said Lehigh President Joseph Helble. “He especially understood the need to keep Lehigh accessible to the best and brightest through our financial aid program, an area where he truly led by example.”

Mercy’s legacy includes contributions to support multiple Lehigh initiatives including scholarships, faculty development, programs, athletics, and facilities. He established the Sue and Eugene Mercy, Jr. ’59 Professorship Fund in 1981, an endowed Professorship Fund in 1987, and a President and Provost Fund for Faculty Development in 1998. Mercy was also a champion of the Lehigh Fund, which invites gifts to support top university priorities.

Lehigh’s alumni phonathon began when Mercy and a friend decided to call their Class of 1959 classmates from the dining room at Goldman Sachs and ask them to donate to Lehigh. The program was so successful, it eventually became an all-alumni effort, which continues today as the Lehigh Liner student calling program.

As the speaker at Lehigh’s 1998 mid-year Commencement ceremony, where he received an honorary doctor of laws degree, Mercy told graduates, “Philanthropic giving, whether it is for one’s alma mater, a hospital, church, or synagogue, is a critically important American invention and institution.”

Born in South Orange, New Jersey, Mercy graduated from Lehigh in 1959 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration. He then served in the U.S. Army before beginning a 25-year career with Goldman Sachs & Co., where he was elected a general partner in 1971. He later became a principal in Granite Capital International and a managing member of EMJ Development.

In addition to Lehigh’s Board of Trustees, Mercy served on numerous boards, including Loomis Chaffee School, Beth Israel Medical Center, Central Park Conservancy, and Seeds of Peace.

In recognition of his achievements in business and professional life and service to Lehigh, Mercy received the L-in-Life Award in 1988 and an Alumni Award in 1979.

Mercy is survived by his wife, Carolyn; his children, Eugene III (Tod) and Andrew; daughter-in-law Molly; stepdaughters Emma Goergen and Amy Pilkington; three grandchildren and a step-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sue, who passed away in 2010.

A memorial service to celebrate Mercy’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on September 12, 2024, at Central Synagogue in New York City. The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Central Park Conservancy or Mount Sinai Hospital.