George Riley Mercer

MERCER George Riley Mercer died at his home Thursday, February 8, 2007. He would have been 97 on February 17th. He was the son of the late Florine Parrish Mercer and Warren Hill Mercer. Mr. Mercer was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Mary Rutherfoord Rose Mercer, in 1996. Survivors include his daughter, Mary Rutherfoord M. Ferguson and her husband, Allen Mead Ferguson; his grandsons, Allen M. Ferguson Jr. and his wife, Caroline, T. Rutherfoord Ferguson and his wife, Katherine, William H. Ferguson and W. Mercer Ferguson; three great-grandsons, James Colter Ferguson, Caleb Sackett Ferguson and Thomas Rutherfoord Ferguson Jr.; his son, George R. Mercer Jr. and his wife, Dr. Catherine S. Mercer; and his granddaughters, Tinsley M. Mortimer and her husband, Robert, and Dabney W. Mercer. He was a lifelong member of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, where he served as deacon, elder, and trustee of the Endowment Fund. He was a member of the Class of 1928 at St. Christopher's School, where he was believed to be the oldest alumnus. Mr. Mercer was president of Mercer Rug Cleansing and Sales, which he founded in 1936. He was also president of Victory Rug Cleaning, Inc., and George Marshall Corporation, which he founded in 1957. For many years, he was a director of Virginia First Savings and Loan. He was a Paul Harris Fellow Rotarian, past president (1940) and founding member of West Richmond Businessmen's Association, past president of the Better Business Bureau of Richmond and served on the Board of the American Cancer Society. He was a member of The Commonwealth Club, The Country Club of Virginia, the Deep Run Hunt Club and the Providence Forge Fishing and Hunting Club. A graveside service will be held in Hollywood Cemetery on Monday, February 12 at 11 a.m. Memorial donations may be made to the St. Christopher's School Foundation, 711 St. Christopher's Rd., Richmond, Va. 23226 or a charity of your choice. His remains rest at the Central Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home, 3215 Cutshaw Ave.