George L. Merz Jr., age 87 of County Rte 59 Dexter passed away at his home Friday evening August 26th under the care of his family and Hospice of Jefferson County. George was born December 3, 1928 in Jamestown, N.Y. the son of George L. and Elizabeth Bailey Norman Merz Sr. George attended school in Jamestown and graduated from Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia. He received his BA and Masters Degree from Cornell University and had Post graduate study in Psychology and Family Therapy at Syracuse University, 2 years of Family and Psychotherapy at the University of Pennsylvania, and 2 years of study at the Himalayan Institute in Oriental Psychology. George enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1951 and was an S2 Agent in Combat Intelligence during the Korean War and honorably discharged in 1954 as a Sergeant. He was married to Shirley Schipper in 1954 and that marriage ended in divorce. He married Patricia J. Sutherland on April 25, 1998 at the Episcopal Church in Brownville. George was a self-employed Family Therapist in the Syracuse area retiring in 2000. He was a member of Smith-Savage Post#583 American Legion in Dexter, Veterans of Foreign Wars and Disabled American Veterans of Watertown. George is survived by his wife Patricia, children: Elizabeth (Thomas) Benner of Rochester, Gretchen ( Charles) Forte of Rochester, Janet (Paul) Kennedy of Rochester, Jennifer (Scott) Frazier of Houghton, Susan (Steve) Anderson of Nelson, B.B., George (Kathy) Merz 3rd of Rochester. He has 12 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and a sister Martha Horlebein of Virginia. There will be a Memorial service held at All Souls Universalist Church of Watertown with Rev. LaMothe officiating at a date to be announced. Burial will be in Sackets Harbor Military Cemetery, Sackets Harbor. There are no calling hours. Donations may be made to Hospice of Jefferson County 1398 Gotham St. Watertown, N.Y. 13601. Online condolences may be sent to Johnson Funeral Home, Dexter in charge of services at dexterfuneralhome.com.