Visitation for Merritt King Will Be Friday at Malone Funeral Home

The accolades for and remembrances of are only beginning, but they will reach a crescendo Friday with a visitation at .

The visitation will be held from 3 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home, 324 E State St, Geneva. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery. As of Wednesday morning, an obituary has not yet been posted on the Malone Funeral Home website and no mention has been made of a funeral date or time.

King died around 6 a.m. Tuesday at his home, surrounded by his family. He is a former seven-term alderman for the city of Geneva, a longtime Geneva businessman, the Geneva History Center's historian emeritus and a , receiving both the Bronze Star and the French Legion of Honor decoration.

Flags at City Hall will be flying at half-staff through Jan. 30.

You can extend condolences on the funeral home's website or in the comments field below. Here are some of the comments already posted on Geneva Patch.

May he rest in peace. Merritt truly was Mr. Geneva to us. He never had a bad word to say about anyone, and he was a giant figure in so many ways, especially with his outstanding, life-saving actions in World War II, finally recognized by the French government. I will miss him very, very much. 
As Terry Emma said: It really will be hard to imagine Geneva without Merritt! 
He knew Geneva's history like no one else!

Fred and Jo Ann Cregier

I had the honor of sitting next to Merritt at the Creche luncheon many times. He always made me feel special. I'm heartbroken.

We are heartbroken. Merritt, always the dapper gentleman with a smile on his face, a cheerful word for everyone. I guess that we somehow felt that he would just go on forever. He and his Madras shorts. He was our hero, really. We will miss him so very much.

Glorianne & Colin Campbell

I had the good fortune to be his next door neighbor however briefly and I would see him out working in the yard and we would sit and he would tell stories about the war and Geneva and how happy he was with his life. He truly lived a long and wonderful life and our town will not be the same without him. He was one of the most gracious and interesting people I have ever had the pleasure to know and I will miss him very much.

Wonderful human being and role model for all of us. Always gracious and appreciative of everyone and his community.

Having lost my Dad last summer, when the Friendship Club Christmas dinner invitation came, I knew my Mom needed to go. We were lucky enough to sit with Merritt and his daughter. He was as bright, sweet and knowledgeable as always while we shared memories of his (our old) neighborhood and our town. My Mom and I will fondly remember this visit with Mr. King. Bless both of you girls!! You will find as our family did, the people that your Dad touched with his giving ways will come forward with stories you will cherish. I share in your loss.

Geneva has lost a rare treasure. Painter, collector, soldier, hero, father, friend. Merrit was all of these and more. I think Merritt had a tale or two for every landmark in the city. And no one told a better story. He loved Geneva and Geneva loved him. For people like Merritt, even a long, full life of 93 years seems too short. I count every day that I ran into Merritt as a good day. He had that all too rare ability to bring cheer into people's lives. Godspeed, Merritt as you join your fallen comrades, your wife and your old friends. Geneva will be a sadder place for your loss, but far richer for having known you. The Old Settler's Coffee just won't be the same this year without Merritt, the quintessential Geneva old settler, being there.

This is incredibly sad news. I had the honor of joining Merritt King on an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. a few years ago, and hearing his amazing stories about his time in World War II. What a wonderful man.