March 14, 1920 – Dec. 10, 2012

VIDALIA — Services for Dulcie Ruth Geter Merritt, 92, of Vidalia, who died Monday, Dec. 10, 2012, at her residence, will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Vidalia First Baptist Church with Will Merritt and the Rev. Bill McCullin officiating.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Thursday at the church.

Mrs. Merritt was born March 14, 1920, in Wilkinson County, the daughter of Frederick Hayes Geter and Amanda Rabb Geter. She was blessed in life with families, the Geter family and the William Carter family including Doris Carter and Grover Curtain.

She married Delcy Ray Merritt July 19, 1945, providing a loving home for their family for 65 years until his death in 2010. Her door was always open to family and friends and an open chair at the table and food on the stove. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Vidalia and the adult four Sunday school class.

She was preceded in death by her husband; one son, Clifton L. Merritt; one son-in-law, Wardy Daniels; one grandson, Stanley Bland Jr.; her parents; three brothers, Henry, Clifford and Clinton “Tinesy” Geter; and three sisters, Mable Geter Nettles, Edna Geter Nettles and Bessie Geter Sanders.

Survivors include five daughters, Dorothy Brown and Millard of Tylertown, Gloria Bland and husband, Stanley, of Natchez, Dianna Walker and husband, Rick, of Junction City, Ark., Elaine Daniels of Vidalia, and Janice Turnage and husband, Donnie, of Vidalia; one son, Delcy Jr. “Buddy” of Sterlington, La.; one daughter-in-law, Debra Merritt of Vidalia; 22 grandchildren, Mickey Brown, Aileen Baughtman, Liz Davidson, Chris Walker, Russ Walker, Clint Daniels, Peggy Daniels, Jack Goodman, Mandy Wisner, Kristi Mehrens, Laura Nelson, Charles Turnage, Dawn Dorr, Cody Turnage, Matt Merritt, Amber Horner, Brandi Rouse, Will Merritt, Amos Merritt, Hannah Merritt, Katie Merritt Paulovich and Jessie Merritt; 51 great-grandchildren; and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers will be grandson and great-grandsons.

Special thanks from the family to her two close friends, Joyce James and Evalena King, for their love, care and loyal friendship. Also, to the Tuesday spaghetti lunch group — her nieces, Shirley Felter, Barbara “Babs” Brown, Louise McKlemurry and Hazel “Punkin” Longmire.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to the Cliff Merritt Scholarship Fund at Delta Bank in Vidalia or the sanctuary building fund at First Baptist Church of Vidalia.

Online condolences may be sent to www.youngsfh.com.