Judith Ann Mayer

Judith Ann Buckner Mayer, a career social worker in Maryland’s juvenile justice system and a social and political activist, died on August 2, 2019 at Gilchrist Hospice after a lengthy illness. She was 78 years old.The cause of death was multiple myeloma.

A resident of Baltimore City who was born in St. Louis, MO, Mayer spent her professional career working with children through the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services, where she later became a manager and overseer of several programs.Mayer received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland Baltimore in 1974 and her bachelor’s degree in English in 1963 from the University Maryland at College Park. She was married to Hans F. Mayer, the former Maryland Acting Secretary of Economic and Community Development and Executive Director of the Maryland Economic Development Corp., for 55 years., who survives her. Throughout their marriage in 1963, the two traveled extensively and visited 33 countries. She was an avid tennis player, dedicated tai chi practitioner, and a prolific reader.Mayer’s undergraduate education was paid for by organizing new chapters and strengthening existing chapters of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, at different colleges.Mayer began her education at the University of Missouri where she was asked by her sorority to transfer to Gettysburg College, in Pennsylvania, to help start a chapter. Upon completion of her sophomore year, Mayer was asked to transfer again, this time to strengthen the chapter of her sorority at College Park, where she completed her undergraduate studies.Mayer worked for 25 years in Maryland’s juvenile justice system. In Anne Arundel County, she helped to recruit new foster families to develop a program of standard training for them. And later, as a manager at the Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) main office, she oversaw the monitoring of contracts with facilities across the state and revised the DJS contract monitoring system following a critical review by state auditors.Mayer also chaired the Female Population Task Force that designed gender specific resources for girls with in the DJS system. Under Mayer’s leadership, the department redesigned its juvenile program at Cheltenham Youth Facility and opened its first all-female shelter.At the same time, Mayer was a founding member of the National Girls Caucus, an organization devoted to improving treatment and resources for girls in juvenile justice systems. She also conducted professional workshops at state, regional and national gatherings.Mayer participated in the Banner Neighborhoods reading program as a volunteer at Patterson Park where she met two young boys from a family that had lost both parents. For more than a dozen years, she was tutor, mentor, life coach and advocate, with the help of others, to the young family. As a result, one is now a licensed electrician and another is an NFL football player. A sister is working on a master’s degree at Towson University and the oldest brother was made the legal head of family through Mayer’s efforts so the children would not be separated. Mayer also worked to create Citizens for Interracial Progress in Pumphrey, Maryland. She was also active in many progressive political campaigns and marches dedicated to furthering peace and justice.Mayer was born in St. Louis, MO, on May 25, 1941. She was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Horace D. Buckner, both deceased. Mayer was active in the First Unitarian Church at 12 W. Franklin St., in Baltimore, where she served as chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the nearly 200-year-old building. Mark West, a Committee member said that “her skilled leadership and enthusiasm made many wonderful projects possible. Jim Houston, the church organist, added that “Judy’s ability to make things happen has been an inspiration to me personally.”

In addition to her husband, Mayer is survived by a daughter, Rachel Mygatt and her husband Walker, and a son, Aaron and his wife Andrea, all of Baltimore, and two grandchildren, Alec S. Mygatt, a student at the University of Colorado, and Maxwell F. Mygatt, a student at the University of Southern California.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Tender Bridge (http://www.thetenderbridge.org)

Tender Bridge 8711 Eddington Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21224 and to Banner Neighborhoods (http://www.bannerneighborhoods.org/), Banner Neighborhoods 2911 Pulaski Highway, Baltimore, Maryland 21224.

The family will receive friends at The Burgee Henss Seitz Funeral Home, Inc., 3631 Falls Road, 21211 on Tuesday from 3-5 and 7-9pm. Celebration of Life Services and Inurnment will be held at a later date at the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore.