Dr. Merlin Albert Ludwig

November 26, 1932 ~ August 24, 2021

1955 North Dakota State University 1955 N. D. State Model Man of the Year North Dakota State Basketball

As we wait for the obituary, by using Ancestry and a number of other websites to gather information as we, as members of the '72 class, the faculty staff and other members of the Shawnee Mission Northwest High School family celebrate Dr. Ludwig's well lived life.

Merlin Albert Ludwig, 88, of Portland, Oregon, passed away on Tuesday, August 24, 2021. Merlin was born on November 26, 1932, to Albert and Julia Ludwig, in North Dakota, raised in Hillsboro, ND.  In 1962 Dr. Ludwig received his B.S, M.S. from North Dakota State University in Fargo, where he played basketball for the university and soon after receiving his PhD in education from the University of Iowa.  He began his ten-year Public Education career in the St. Louis School District and leaving there for the opening of the new high school in the Shawnee Mission School District, where Dr. Ludwig spent the first three years in its history, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, as the first principal in 1969, in the fall 1972 Dr. Ludwig moved on to several other school districts throughout the country as a Superintendent for the next 20 years in five states, North Kansas City, Missouri, Iowa City, Iowa, El Cajon, California, Coeur D Alene, Idaho and Klamath Falls, Oregon.  After leaving the field of education Dr. Ludwig then turned his attention towards a new and different career as an Independent Real Estate Professional with Coldwell Banker in the Portland, Oregon area for the next twenty-four years with his wife, Cindy, as they worked as a team as brokers.

Dr. Ludwig was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Lauren and sister, Elaine.  He is survived by his wife Cindy, son, Scot of Boise, Idaho and daughter, Linda of Flagstaff, Arizona.

In his own words, he always had a way of spreading his philosophy of trust and understanding so completely….

This has been a year of personal growth for me.  I trust that each person here at Northwest has grown personally as well.  It seems to me that the student body and faculty have matured and my dream that human beings can be trusted has been answered in great measures.  When Northwest High School opened, it was my conviction that a risk must be taken to prove that human beings, regardless of their beliefs, backgrounds, or walks of life could unite and begin to satisfy the longing in their hearts to love one another.  While we have not achieved our ultimate goal at this early stage in the life of Northwest High School, it enthralls me to observe and feel that this longing has been met in part.  A start, then has been made and I believe that nothing can stop this human progress now that the students, staff and parents of the Northwest Community have experienced the rewards and inner calm that result from their efforts.

Dr. Merlin A. Ludwig

Principal

1971 SMNW Yearbook introduction  pg./16

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