Saturday, December 22, 2012
Part 1 of a multipart series: Merritt King was a giant among Genevans.
On Jan. 24, 2012, Geneva lost a giant of man in Merritt King. In so many ways, Merritt was larger than life: a gifted athlete, a legitimate war hero, a seven-term alderman, a 12-year Geneva mayor pro-tem and Geneva's historian emeritus. He is credited, among so many other achievements, for coming up with the idea for Geneva's historic Third Street gas lamps, for rescuing the historic creche that graces the Geneva History Center and for saving countless lives in 1945, when he and other Seventh Army troops nabbed a convoy in southwestern Germany and uncovered maps that revealed the exact placements of hundreds of thousands of landmines planted in 19 countries all over Europe. Merritt is remembered in this beautifully-written article by …
Monday, October 8, 2012
The city of Geneva is looking at ways to memorialize some of Geneva's historic residents.
The city of Geneva will look into making a permanent memorial to one of its favorite sons, Merritt King, who died in January of this year. And at the same time, city officials are examining ways to use city of Geneva rights of way to place memorials to other favorite sons and daughters. In the other business portion of Monday's City Council Committee of the Whole meeting, Geneva resident Colin Campbell suggested extending the sidewalk in front of the Geneva History Center and building a small pedestal for a plaque in King's memory. King was a longtime Geneva aldeman, war hero and "historian emeritus" of the History Center. You can read more about him in this column by Kurt Wehrmeister and in this death notice and this story. "What I would …
Friday, January 27, 2012
Visitation for two of Geneva's favorite sons will be held at Malone Funeral.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Rick Nagel
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Friday, January 27, 2012
Visitation for two of Geneva's favorite sons will be held at Malone Funeral Home, 324 East State St. The visitation for Merritt King—decorated war hero, seven-term Geneva alderman and Geneva History Center historian emeritus—will be from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. today (Friday, Jan. 27) at the East Side funeral home. A service under the auspices of Geneva Masonic Lodge #139 will be performed to honor Mr. King. The visition for Dick Jaeger—longtime Geneva History Center contributor and the creator of the three-dimentional, miniature buildings that are featured at the History Center—will be held from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, at Malone's. Funeral services for Mr. Jaeger will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at St. Peter Church. An …
41.88644
-88.29657
Malone Funeral Home
324 E State St, Geneva, IL
/articles/visitation-for-merritt-king-is-3-9-pm-friday-for-dick-jaeger-2-9-pm-monday-at-malone-funeral-home
319256
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Geneva mourns the loss of two of its most beloved and well-known historians—Dick Jaeger and Merritt King—on Tuesday, Jan. 24.
- VOLUNTEERS IN THE NEWS
- Rick Nagel
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Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Dick Jaeger, the beloved Geneva History Center volunteer and patron, died on the same day as his compatriot, Merritt King. Dick had been battling for several weeks—we knew because of the prayer requests at church—but it's sad, and hard to believe Geneva could lose two of its great historians on the same day. Dick died around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24. Seven-term alderman and Geneva's historian emeritus Merritt King died that morning, at around 6 a.m. "It's just another sadness and loss for the History Center and for Geneva," said HPC Executive Director Terry Emma. "We're in total dismay. It just doesn't seem to connect." Dick was the man who created the three-dimensional miniature models of historic buildings in Geneva. For Geneva's 175th…
The full obituary hasn't been posted as of Wednesday morning, but the visitation is set for 3 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 27, for Geneva's seven-time alderman and historian emeritus Merritt King.
The accolades for and remembrances of Merritt King are only beginning, but they will reach a crescendo Friday with a visitation at Malone Funeral Home. 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 true war hero, receiving both the Bronze Star and the French Legion of Honor decoration. Flags at City …
41.88644
-88.29657
Malone Funeral Home
324 E State St, Geneva, IL
/articles/visitation-for-merritt-king-will-be-friday-at-malone-funeral-home
319256
/locations/6247158
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
"It's hard to imagine Geneva without Merritt King."
There really aren't words to describe Merritt King's love of Geneva, his contributions to this community or his amazing life. But there will be countless words in the coming days to celebrate his 93 years as a resident and benefactor of the city. King died around 6 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012, at his home at 212 S. Fifth St., surrounded by his family, including his beloved daughters, Alison and Lesley. He had been battling cancer for weeks, although I saw him at the Geneva History Center's creche luncheon before Christmas, and as always, he looked great and his mind was as sharp as ever. People sometimes called Merritt "Mr. Mayor," although he never served officially in that office. He was an alderman for seven terms, and he was mayor pro …
Colin C.
11:24 am on Sunday, December 23, 2012
A group of us have approached the City about placing a permanent memorial to Merritt on Third St, under his beloved lights, perhaps in front of the History Center. (He was Geneva Historian Emeritus, along with everything else.) We hope to have something definite this spring. more ›