Merv George Sr., long-time local musician, Hoopa Tribe ceremonial leader, passes away at 74

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EUREKA, Calif. (KIEM) – The death of a long-time local musician, tribal member, and family man, is hitting the community hard.

Merv George Sr. was a well-loved ceremonial leader of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, a musician for upwards of sixty years, and also worked for Eureka’s Public Works Department.

Merv George Sr. was considered by many the heart of rock ‘n’ roll in Humboldt County. These images come from earlier in the summer, along Eureka’s Waterfront, as Merv and his son once again captivated audiences during the Summer Concert Series.

He passed Friday afternoon, surrounded by family, as his son relayed in a Facebook post:

“Today at 3:55pm dad lost his battle to a severe stroke he sustained on Tuesday morning. He had my mom by his side and he went peacefully. We were bringing him home from Redding Mercy Hospital and he waited until he got near Weaverville and could see the Trinity River before he left us.

The family and I truly appreciate all the thoughts and prayers that family and friends have given us over these past few difficult days. Dad was a true warrior and fought hard all the way till the end. I have no doubt your love and prayers provided him extra strength.

The family is going to have a private graveside ceremony to honor him. We will host a public celebration of life event later on this Fall. I will share more on this when it gets planned. Please save October 21 (dad’s birthday) as a possible event date.

Thank you to Chairman Ryan Jackson and the Hoopa Valley Tribe for their care and support. Thank you to Eva Smith and the Kimaw Medical Center….especially the ambulance crew…for bringing dad home. Also a big thank you to the Redding Mercy Hospital staff for their excellent service and hospitality this week. You all provided top notch service. And finally thank you to all the family and friends who are helping all of us navigate this extremely difficult time. We love you all.”