Mederic George "King of Marysville"

Mederic George King, born April 18, 1933 passed away on February 27, 2013. George at the age of 79 spent his last months in the Marysville Care and Rehab Center.

George was a fixture in downtown Marysville and spent a lot of his time recently in front of the Marysville Post Office, greeting patrons and preaching to those that would take time to listen. On occasion he would raise his voice for all to hear, scolding those who were driving too fast or otherwise being inconsiderate to their fellow man. A Korean War Veteran, George loved his country, the City of Marysville and most of the people in it. George was a very intelligent street person who knew what was going on in Marysville and constantly prayed for the city, the city leadership and the people of Marysville.

Services were held in Marysville on March14th. With an Honor Guard at the door and friends officiating over the services many reflected on their experiences with George. Through his death he brought together many factions of the community as they spoke of their fondness for the Street Preacher.

On March 26th, Yuba County Supervisor, John Nicoletti, attended the concluding services and interment at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon California. John’s thoughts of that day:

"George made an indelible mark on Marysville and Yuba City. As a Korean War Veteran, he had earned the right to be buried in the National Veterans Cemetery in Dixon. This location is serving Nevada, Oregon and California. The folks that operate the facility are incredible and helpful. We got to pick all that could be put on his headstone and were given location map information. They had a viewing area set up so we could refocus ourselves after a long drive to the cemetery and it made George look stately and respectable. We were thrilled to find such high levels of quality for our service members. On December 14th of this last year, the Cemetery held a special service for indigent military service members. The purpose is to show that they are not forgotten. This last December over 5000 people attended the event. This made us feel so good that we actually did take George to his rightful final resting place. George knew that he had a battle with Schizophrenia and I believe he lived a homeless lifestyle to compensate for it. He had an apartment and paid his bills. This disheveled image allowed people to accept that George was challenged but also allowed him a way to connect with his community. He was very intelligent, was an avid reader of the local papers and knew more people on a first name basis and something about their lives than most all others in our town. I learned much from him. Through modern medicine I was getting to know sides of his past that had been shrouded for a long time. George is now one of the character lines in the complexion of Marysville. For better or for worse, we have experienced George and I will never forget him."

Published April 10, 2013