Foothills
did you know?
i’m waiting to see you
come over that hill
did you know?
i’m waiting to see you
run over that hill
did you know
i’m waiting to see you jump over that hill
did you know
i’m waiting to see you
fly over that hill
did you know?
i’m waiting to see you
again.
– Written by Christina Lux
UC Merced staff and faculty are feeling a tremendous sense of loss amid the start of the fall semester, as one of the campus’ most beloved figures is not there to welcome new and returning Bobcats.
Christina Anne Lux, managing director of the university’s Center for the Humanities, died unexpectedly from a blood clot on July 28, according to her family. She was 48.
Aside from being a campus administrator, Lux was a published author who traveled the world and was involved in programs that made a positive impact on the lives of people around the globe.
For example, she was instrumental in establishing a Scholars at Risk program at UC Merced, bringing academics from global war zones in the Middle East and Africa to study at the university.
Ignacio Lopez-Calvo, the Center for the Humanities faculty director, said Lux did everything possible to make the international scholars feel at home in the Valley, bringing them food and helping them with transportation and other needs.
“It was obvious that this is the kind of thing she enjoyed the most, helping people in need,” said Lopez-Calvo. “I was amazed how incredibly generous she was.”
Lux was the center’s institutional memory, Lopez-Calvo said, and she played an active role building it up. More importantly, however, Lopez-Calvo said Lux was known as a friend to many in the Merced community.
“She’s clearly the colleague that I’ve worked (with) the closest at UC Merced over the years, but it was also nice to work with someone who was your friend and a very good person. You know, I knew I could trust her,” Lopez-Calvo explained.
“We always began our professional meetings just talking about our families, our daily lives, and it was awesome to have someone like that by your side. That’s why I’m feeling a little bit lost right now. But it’s a major loss for the campus, for the community, and for the university in general.”
Merced County roots
Lux served as an important nexus between the community and the UC center she led, bringing individuals and groups there to speak with faculty and students (including journalists from The Merced FOCUS).
Plus, she touched people through her writing and poetry, including her recent book “War Bonds,” which is described by the publisher as poems of “survival in the face of conflict.”
Although she started working at UC Merced in 2013, she was no stranger to the region. Born in Pasadena, Lux moved to Merced County at an early age and grew up in the small farming town of Planada until age 8.
Her parents, David and Cindy Lux, were Christian missionaries, and the family moved to the West African country of Cameroon when she was 10. They lived in the village of Lassin, and her parents were involved in translating the Bible for the Noni people, according to her obituary.
She had a special affection for Cameroon and graduated from Rain Forest International School in that country. She completed bachelor’s and master’s degrees in French at Calvin College and a doctorate in romance languages at University of Oregon.
Impact on family and friends
Lux was buried earlier this month at Lakewood Funeral Home and Memorial Park in Hughson. A contingent of Cameroonians who knew Lux from her youth attended her funeral service, relating stories of her strong Christian faith and the positive impact she had on many people.
A ceremony honoring her life was also held in Lassin, the village where her family lived in Cameroon.
Lux’s husband, Charles Payne, was inspired by seeing the turnout of people who came from Cameroon and other countries to honor his wife at her funeral.
Payne, 48, said his wife’s death was completely unexpected as he recounted the events leading up to it during her funeral and on social media.
Lux went to the hospital for pain in her leg. A nurse found the blood clot, Payne said, and assured him it wasn’t serious.
The couple joked around for a bit, and he gave her a sandwich before kissing her, saying how much he loved her.
Payne went home for the night, while his wife remained at the hospital. He woke up to a 4 a.m. phone call from a nurse, saying the hospital was trying to resuscitate his wife and asking whether they should continue.
At first, Payne hung up, thinking it was a prank call. After the nurse called back, Payne sped to the hospital. Upon his arrival, his wife was surrounded by medical professionals. That’s when he was told Lux didn’t make it, as the clot had spread to her lungs.
Payne completely broke down in the hospital. The couple’s wedding anniversary was suppssed to be the next day.
Today, Payne said he and his family are coping with the loss “through the grace of God,” even though the grieving process is largely moment by moment.
“There are still moments when the wind gets knocked out of me,” Payne told The FOCUS.
Payne said his wife maintained connections with her Cameroonian extended family during her life, including donating money to have homes built there and supporting clean water projects, among other important causes.
“She was giving up her own money, and she really had a heart for the people out there, Payne said.
The couple were married in 2019 after meeting years earlier and were raising their children together. Lux has a son, Jaden, 19, while Payne has three daughters: Samariah, 23, Savannah, 20, and Kiara, 14.
“I was still kind of rough around the edges when she met me,” Payne joked, describing himself as a “changed man” because of the positive influence of his late wife.
“I’ve never been to a museum. She took me to a museum. I didn’t want to go, but all of a sudden, (she) just opened up a whole new world and (taught) me how to speak French and all these different things,” Payne said.
“She took us to France … The way she lived, it forced me to look at myself,” he said. “I got to an age where I don’t want to lie to myself, you know. I got to an age where I do want to get better as a person.”
Payne, who produces music, also said he and Lux collaborated artistically, and she was his most honest – and loving – critic.
Payne said he had prayed for someone like Lux to come into his life for years, and he had never witnessed someone with such love and integrity.
“I knew another whole side of Christina no one else knows,” Payne said. “We also knew we were both on a mission. And we knew that we needed each other to be a bigger influence for our children.”
They had their first date at J&R Taco, a once-popular restaurant that was also a hub of art and community on Main Street in Merced.
Payne said his wife was also a peacemaker – both at home and the university. In fact, she had a certificate in conflict resolution from Cornell University, plus certificates in conflict analysis, negotiation and mediating violent conflict from the United States Institute of Peace.
“I’m real stubborn, and I can be hard, but I think she kind of broke me down over the years. She just wouldn’t back down. When it came to delivering the truth, she would deliver it very delicately, or if she had to, deliver it with a hammer with fire,” Payne said.
A shining light
Friends and co-workers of Lux said she built a thriving, welcoming environment at the Center for the Humanities, obtaining a multitude of grants and holding a variety of community events.
Bristin Jones, UC Merced assistant teaching professor for literature languages and cultures, started working at the university in 2018. She described Lux, one of the first people she met, as a “beacon of light” at the center and an inspiration to others.
Lux wore many hats at the center, Jones said, and one of her most important roles was mentorship of graduate students. She was always at the campus, ready to offer assistance.
Lux was someone who could always be approached if there was a problem, Jones said, and she would always work to find a solution. She described their connection as a professional one that evolved into friendship, sharing a love of poetry and being mothers.
“She was a leader who led with grace. The combination of professionalism, empathy, humility – you don’t see leaders often like that, and that’s one reason that we’re all feeling her loss so much,” Jones said.
Lux’s friendships also extended to many segments of the community. Priya Lakireddy, a trustee for Merced City Schools, first met Lux because their children both attended Burbank Elementary.
Their friendship deepened after Lakireddy began working at UC Merced. Lux became not only a colleague, Lakireddy said, but also “someone with whom I could talk about our children, our work, our community, and the larger issues we both cared about.”
Lakireddy described Lux as “a bridge-builder” in the community, who connected UC Merced with the people, history, culture, and challenges of the Central Valley – someone who brought people together around a larger purpose.
“It is difficult to comprehend losing someone who was so intellectually vibrant, compassionate, and full of ideas for the future,” Lakireddy said.
“She was someone who noticed when you were struggling and reached out,” Lakireddy said. “During a particularly stressful time in my public service, Christina read about what was happening, checked on me, and simply said, ‘Let me know if you want to talk.’ That was Christina — thoughtful, attentive and present.”
Effort afoot to release second book of poetry
Before her unexpected passing, Lux was working on a second book of poetry, following the publication of “War Bonds.”
Her husband Payne, along with her friends, are now working to see that publication of Lux’s second book comes to fruition.
“I want to see it published because I saw how excited she was about this book, so it will be a good tribute to her,” Lopez-Calvo said.
Jones said she and others at the university will also do whatever they can to see Lux’s final project through.
“She was always the person who was in our corner, fighting for us, fighting for our students, fighting for our center,” Jones said.
Lux’s book “War Bonds” is available for purchase at the Flowersong Press website.