Morris Mertz

Obituary

Morris Mertz, Scranton, died Friday.

Local store owner of the former Mertz Hardware at 306 Penn Ave., songwriter, author and playwright, Morris unfortunately spent the last months of his life at the Jewish Home. Although he never reached National acclaim, Morris wrote local productions for both the JCC and the University of Scranton. He was a lifetime resident of the Scranton Hill Section and frequented both Temple Israel and Beth Shalom. As a 1964 graduate of Central High School, he wrote for their student paper and always kept classmates laughing with his unusual sense of humor. As a 1968 graduate of Penn State (summa cum laude) he was on the staff of the "Daily Collegian," the campus newspaper. In his later years, he became a YouTube sensation. He served in the journalism corps of the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He not only beat to his own drummer, but he also had an uncanny ability to draw people in. He loved Scranton and Scranton loved him.

He is survived by his sister, Shirley Jacobs, of Hollywood, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held Sunday in the Dalton Jewish Cemetery