Marta Weigle (1944–2018)

Marta Weigle, folklorist, anthropologist, and University Regents Professor at the University of New Mexico, died in Santa Fe, New Mexico, June 14, 2018, after a short illness. Born July 3, 1944, in Janesville, Wisconsin, she was the eldest daughter of Richard Daniel and Mary Grace Day Weigle. Marta first arrived in the town she came to love as her home when her family moved to Santa Fe in 1961 so that her father, the president of the highly ranked St. John's College of Annapolis, could establish a second St. John's campus.

Marta received a BA in Social Relations from Harvard (Radcliffe College) in 1965 and a PhD in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania in 1971. She was then, much to her pleasure, able to return to Albuquerque and Santa Fe, as she was hired as Assistant Professor at the University of New Mexico in 1972. Originally, she held a joint appointment in the Departments of English and Anthropology where she quickly rose to the rank of Full Professor. Later, she joined the Department of American Studies, where she served as chair from 1984– 1993. In 1993, she moved to the Department of Anthropology, where she served as chair from 1995–2002. Her colleagues have praised her administrative abilities, describing her as a chair who shepherded the large, diverse department with acumen and effectiveness.

Her leadership on campus was felt in numerous domains, but an especially visible effort in which she played a key role resulted in the establishment of the Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies, which promotes equitable partnerships between communities and the University of New Mexico.

Marta fulfilled one of her long-held ambitions when she and Mary Powell established the Ancient City Press. From 1981 through 2005, Ancient City provided an outlet for specialized publications on New Mexico, including her own publication Two Guadalupes (1987; also listed below).

Marta gave generously of her scholarly abilities far beyond the university. She served on the Executive Board of the American Folklore Society from 1984–1986 and was elected to the Folklore Fellows of the Society. In Santa Fe, she devoted herself to the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, assisting with the successful effort to establish a museum and supporting major events; it was an extraordinary experience to attend the Spanish Colonial Arts Festival with her, as she knew the artists and the community and was able to deliver an introduction or provide a comment at every booth. She also applied her expertise and support to other public institutions, inviting friends to accompany her for special events. An especially enjoyable event my family and I attended with her was the performance of the Gustave Baumann puppets at the Santa Fe Art Museum, an annual event during the Christmas holidays. She was recognized for her lifelong contributions to the state by the New Mexico Historical Preservation Division in 2005, with the inaugural State Historian's Award for Excellence in New Mexico Heritage Scholarship.

In 2011, she retired from the University in Albuquerque and continued to live in her beloved Santa Fe where she was widely acknowledged throughout the city as a major voice of New Mexico. Even when visiting museums and restaurants (La Choza being her favorite), she was recognized and welcomed as a respected figure in this small city inhabited by many illustrious celebrities.

Marta never grew tired of sharing her love of the Southwest with friends and colleagues, revealing its folklore, history, and secrets of the landscape. Especially memorable for her visitors was her Northern New Mexico tour. While driving through the countryside, she pointed out moradas (chapels) on the hillsides and concluded with a visit to Chimayo, paying visits to friends as well as to the church there, famed for its healing powers. Another of her enthusiasms was the burning of Zozobra (the 50-foot white effigy of gloom designed by Santa Fe artist William Shuster, Jr., in 1924 for Las Fiestas de Santa Fe, the annual festival of the city, celebrated since 1712). My family and I were privileged to share this popular event with Marta, and we especially enjoyed her running commentary...