ForeverMissed
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His Life

LEO'S oBIT

May 20, 2017
Birth:  Mar. 3, 1933 Death:  Aug. 2, 2015
From: Dutcher Funeral Home

Obituary for Leo George 

Leo Duane George, formerly of Girard, passed away Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015 at Drews Place of Coldwater. 

A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 6, 2015 at Dutcher Funeral Home in Coldwater with Very Rev. Mark Vyverman of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church officiating. A private interment will take place at a later date in Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2015 at Dutcher Funeral Home.

Leo was born March 3, 1933 in Reading to Frank and Gertrude George. He would go on to graduate from Reading High School in 1951, playing football during those years and founding a deeply rooted passion for football and sports alike. Following high school, he entered the Army from 1951-1953 during the Korean Conflict. He would never see active duty, but was able to explore various areas of Europe while stationed in Germany, Switzerland and Trieste, Italy. 

Upon returning home from duty, he married Patricia Ann Tobolski at St. Charles Catholic Church in Coldwater in 1959, and they would go on to have two sons, Michael and Patrick George. 

Leo worked at Lydel’s Meat Packing and Gambel’s Warehouse in Coldwater - where he retired. 

Much of Leo’s life was spent in an avid bout of fandom that revolved around his love for the University of Michigan Wolverines and high school athletics. During high school football season, Leo and his dear friend, Jack Huber, were known to select the top Friday night matchup to attend, and with strict dedication rarely missed a game. High school football was his love, but Leo also was extremely proud of the Reading track team’s numerous accolades and achievements over the years - including multiple state records attributed to the teams of past. 

At family gatherings or amongst friends, Leo would talk about sports as long as anyone would care to listen. Being a sports fan meant that once his youngest son, Patrick, had two daughters of his own, Lexi and Aubrey George, he’d be there to support them whether it be volleyball, basketball or softball. During these events, Leo loved to pick-on and joke with the relatives of his daughter-in-law, April (Craydon) George, for what some could call their lack of sports knowledge. All in good fun, Leo was delighted to be a fan and indulge others in the lessons of the game, whichever sport it may have been. 

He was an avid fisherman, mainly fishing for panfish with his buddy Bob Ferguson of Coldwater. He thoroughly enjoyed tending to his garden, and would often have one of his bulldogs by his side. 

He is survived by two sons, Michael George and his fiancé, Laurel Stromer, of Galesburg, and Patrick George of Burlington; daughter-in-law, April (Craydon) George; granddaughters, Lexi and Aubrey George; and sister, Marilyn George-Friend. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Patricia, and brothers, Bob and Ernie. 

It is with regret and sadness that Leo has gone from this life, but the family is consoled by knowing he’s in a better place.

Memorials may be directed to Reading High School Athletic Boosters. 
 
Family links: 
 Spouse:
  Patricia Ann Tobolski George (1939 - 2000)   Burial:
Evergreen Cemetery 
Girard Township
Branch County
Michigan, USA  

Mike and his mother, Gertie

October 10, 2016

Mike was not a rarity, as a child of the 1930's, in that he  loved his mother and protected her. The rarity part, to me, was how gentle he was to this woman. As a woman, she had a lot to be "grumpy" over. She was left with two young children, Mike and his sister Marilyn. There were not all the programs available for funding desperate familieis that exist for emergencies today. She had,as the people of those days would say, "A long, hard row to hoe."  To further complicate her life, Mrs. George had some form of crippling disease that forced her to walk with crutches. How they possibly existed was beyond me. Both her older sons, Bob and Ernie were in the armed services, very shortly after the death of their father.

Anyway, Mike drove his crippled mother to the grocery stores and wherever else she needed to go. The 'man of the house" chores were completed by him, regardless of the fact he toiled hard on the high school football team as well. Work on a little farm awaited the young boy when schol responsibilities were over. I never once heard a complaint from Mike about his mother or the circumstances of his life.

Despite the devastating loss of her husband, Gertie was one lucky woman to have such a fine, loving son to take care of her. I am not insinuating here that the other 3 children did not do their share; however, this is a memorial to Mike and this is what I remember observing. 

Gertude Geneva Clark George, Mike's mother

October 1, 2016


Birth:  Jan. 24, 1901 Death:  Oct. 15, 1989
Branch County
Michigan, USA
 
Family links: 
 Spouse:
  Frank Hugh George (1881 - 1941)*
 
 Children:
Ernest George
Robert E. Goerge (1922-1992)  
Marilyn George (Married William Friend)
Leo Duane.George(1933-2010) 

  Burial:
Pleasant Lake Cemetery 
Pleasant Lake
Steuben County
Indiana, USA

Frank Hugh George (Leo's father)

October 1, 2016

Born:  1881 Death:  1941
Branch County
Michigan, USA
(Father of Leo George,) Frank George 1881-1941  
Family links: 
 Parents:
  Robert George (1842 - 1917)Grandfather of Leo
  Anna Smith George (1847 - 1912)Grandmother of Leo
 
 Spouse:
  Gertie Geneva Clark George (1901 - 1989) Mother of Leo
 
 Children:
Robert E. George (1922 - 1992)(Married Joann)
Ernest George
Marilyn George ( Married William Friend)
Leo Duane. George( 1933-2010) (Married Patricia Tobolski)
 
 Siblings:
  John H George (1869 - 1929
  Elza L George (1879 - 1957)*
  Frank Hugh George (1881 - 1941)
  Robert George (1884 - 1960)*
 
 
Note: Grandpa George was dragged to death working a team of horses in 1941 per my dad. Grandpa was widowed (Jessie L. May), then married my grandma Gertie Geneva Clark.(Unsure who wrote this, but an assumption is Robert George's son, nephew of Leo. .bcd)

Brother Mike

October 1, 2016

This memorial is about my brother, MIke, who was neither my brother, nor named Mike. Confused yet?
Leo Duane. George was the youngest child of Frank and Gertude Clark George, a rural farm family who lived directly across the fields from the Parker family.(My family.)

One spring day when Mike was about 9 years old an unbelievable accident took place. Mike's father, Frank, was working his field with horses. Frank was known to be impatient with these giant work horses. He refused to let them stop and rest at the end of the rows,as resting at this interval was what most farmers thought advantageous to the horses. Frank wanted the job done more quickly and sometimes gave his horses a smart crack right across their rumps. The local concensus was that was what happened. It was a humid day, and the horses probably wanted to rest and he was in a hurry. Anyway, whatever the scenario, when young Leo was sent to retrieve his father, who was late to lunch, he found the horses in a corner, resting under a tree. His father was tangled in the farm equipment and had been "plowed"  back and forth, over and over,

After that, the boy became attached to the Parker family, We always called him Mike, never Leo.I have no idea why, but a guess is that his father used the name of Leo and we wanted to be different. My father, Herbert, did nit apply for the surrogate father role, it just happened. My brother Paul was just a bit younger than Mike, and those two became friends. My older brother Lyle was friends with Mike's older brother Squeak. My mother loved the oldest George boy, Ernie.

Mike graduated from Reading High School in 1951(I believe), where he was outstanding at football. He promptly went into the Unidted States Army . He sent home money to his mother, who carefully saved it and when he was finished with his tour of duty, he had saved enough money to purchase a new Chevrolet. I can see him and my father sitting in it, listening to the radio and drinking beer in a brand-new car; something neither of them ever thought they would see.

(Mike was a pall bearer at my Dad's funeral service one snowy, sad day on December 2nd  long ago. I remember his hug at the gravesite. I was ready to deliver my last child and big Mike hugged me so hard that he picked me up  off the snow, We were both sniffling.) 

Mike went to meat-cutting school in nearby Defiance, Ohio courtesy of Uncle Sam and the GI Bill,

After school, Mike married Patricia Tobolski at the St.Charles Church in Coldwater, MI. It was the first big wedding I had ever attended.

Patricia and Leo lived in Girard, MI. They had 2 boys which they named Mike and Pat. They also had boxer dogs.  

Mike, following his earlier love of football, became a game official for high school sports, He officiated several games involving my boys. One was particularly interesting as my youngest son,Wes, had a broken arm.We payed extra  (insurance would not cover anything but basic casting) for special rubberized NFL-type casting. We were told by docotors it was legal in Michigan to use this casting. However, they did not want him to play because of the break, but football was life to Wes. The officals at the fb game nixed playing with the special cast. Mike whispered in Wes' ear, "Cut it off and I will wrap you so you won't get hurt."  Another official and the coach helped snip off the cast. Mike said,"Oh no, I am not going to, I know this boy's mother."
Long story made short--Wes played and the wrapping Mike gave him with splints was a lethal weapon--much more dangerous than rubberized guaze, but also more protective. 

The love of Mike's life, Patricia, died of cancer on May 24, 2000.
Mike lasted a few more years, until 2015
Since she is buried in Evergreen at Girard,MII am assuming that Mike is,too.

Can anyone tell that I miss my brother Mike?