William Rice Mercier, age 88, of Blue Ridge, GA passed away Friday, September 14, 2007 at his home. Bill was born in Madison County, GA to the late William E. and Pearl Burroughs Mercier on April 17, 1919. Mr. Mercier graduated from the University of Georgia in 1940 having earned a degree in Agriculture. He was also a member of Aghon. After college, he was employed by the Farmers Security Agency in North Georgia. He met his future wife, Adele Roper, in Jasper, Georgia. They were married in 1941 and moved to Fannin County in 1942 where he was County Extension Agent. They purchased the original orchard from Dr. Lloyd, the local pharmacist in 1943. While developing the orchard, he was additionally employed as the Southeast Property Manager for the Tennessee Copper Company (Cities Service Company). Using his knowledge of soils, he was successful in designing and implementing a plan to reforest the Copper Basin area by supervising the planting of over 300,000 pine trees each year for several years, and developing a fertilizer pellet that is still in use today. For his efforts, he received a Forestry Recognition Award for his outstanding contributions to Forestry and Conservation from the Society of American Foresters in 1978. He retired from the Cities Service Company in 1979 after 27 years of service. After he retired, Bill, Adele, and their son Tim expanded the orchard into what is now Mercier Orchards, Inc. the largest privately owned apple orchard in Georgia. Mr. Mercier was a member of the Blue Ridge Kiwanis Club for over fifty years and service as a Director of the Fannin County Farm Bureau. Survivors include his wife of sixty-five years, Adele Roper Mercier; son and daughter-in-law, William T. Mercier and Sandra Mercier of Blue Ridge, GA; son, James Mercier of Los Angeles, CA; daughter, Helen Mercier of Blue Ridge, GA; two grandchildren,, Melissa Mercier Lillard and Amanda Mercier Foster; three great grandchildren, Zachery Lillard, Annabel Lillard, and Alexandria Foster. Funeral Services were conducted Monday, September 17, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. from the Akins of Blue Ridge Chapel with Rev. Charlie Howell and Rev. Rodney Stamey officiating. Music was by Imogene Stewart. Interment followed in Chastain Memorial Park Cemetery. Pallbearers were Carrol O'Neal, John Henry Payne, Bill Prather, Bill Walden, Roger Futch, Bill Jones, Bill Bandy and Don Hall. Honorary pallbearers were Apple & Peach Growers of Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Alabama, the McDonald's Coffee Group, and the Fannin Regional Hospital Auxiliary (Pink Ladies). For those desiring, donations in memory of Mr. Mercier may be made to the Fannin County Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 1883, Blue Ridge, GA 30513. Condolences may be sent to the Mercier family at www.akinsfuneralhome.com. Akins Funeral Home of Blue Ridge was in charge of the arrangements.