Donald Richard George

Donald R. George, 88, WWII Navy Veteran, Educator and long-time advocate for children, loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away July 10, 2015. Funeral service 11:00 AM Tuesday, July 14th at Central Community Church, 6100 W Maple St, Wichita, KS 67209. Visitation 1-8pm, Monday, with family greeting, 5-8pm at Smith Mortuary-Mulvane, 501 S.E. Louis Blvd. Burial will be on Wednesday, at 10:00 AM at Hugoton Cemetery, Hugoton, Kansas. Donald is preceded in death by his parents, Murl and Georgia George; first wife, Louise; sister, Lola Olson. He is survived by his wife, Beverly; children, Donna Kellison, David (Diana) George, Mary (Patrick) Tribby; grandchildren, Trisha Tribby, Gina George (Mark) Cleveland, Tasha Tribby (Mark) DeLaVergne, Grant (Cynthia) George; great-grandchildren, Elijah DeLaVergne, Kellen Cleveland, Soren DeLaVergne, Gideon George, Kaderina Cleveland; sisters, Juanita Clark, Jeannine (James) Hales; stepchildren Michael (Cindy) Woltemath, Scott (Cynthia) Woltemath, Randy Woltemath (dec’d), Susan Payne, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren and a loving extended family. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with the Motivators Class at Central Community Church.

How do you adequately describe Don George? Honest Don, kind, considerate, tender hearted,thoughtful, compassionate, GENUINE. He put others ahead of himself. He was there to gently lend a hand, fix something at someone's house, help with a Sunday school lesson, plan a Motivators class trip,help with parking, or flag placement, or just about anything that someone needed help with. Even at the end of his life, he was considerate noticing the needs of those around him asking if it would be appropriate"

Don loved to joke and tease. He always had a clean joke. The twinkle in his eye let you know someone was in for a prank.

Don was Patriotic. He was a World War II Veteran who enlisted at the age of 18. Not one to shirk from duty, he went with his ship when he was offered a position that would have allowed him to stay stateside. He just didn't feel it was right for him to be safe when others were going to war. He played in the Navy Band (so did get to sleep in some when others had to get up earlier). Later he was assigned to the USS Weiss (APD-135). The Navy and his specific ship had orders to go to Japan when President Truman dropped the Atom bomb to end the war resulting in his ship turning around and going back home.

From the age of 9, Donald worked hard all his life. After college, some of his professions included farmer, teacher, referee, coach, and elementary school administrator. With 3 children ages 4 and under, he left a farming job that included a house and double the money to answer the call to go into teaching. As a coach, he taught several men's sports but also made sure girls had the opportunity for track intramural regional sports before the time that it was seen as "appropriate".

Quite the traveler, we often suggested he get himself a rig so he could at least get paid for all the miles he drove. The first week in February, 2015 he drove 1,700 miles making the rounds to visit with family in Coffeyville, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and several places in Texas. When a granddaughter moved to a new house, he drove from Wichita to South Dakota to Indianapolis with an attached trailer to add furniture at each stop (and then back to Wichita). Who would drive hours for a one-hour concert his grandchildren were in? Don George would. He would not miss even the smallest performance of a grandchild whether they lived in Derby, Kansas or as far away as South Dakota. He also traveled multiple places with family and friends, and his church group. Advanced education seminars in Hawaii began his love for sharing that state with family members. He enjoyed trips to Hawaii (at least 4 times). An Alaska cruise was also part of his travels. For several years, he was a pilot and enjoyed flying small planes.

Sports were always a favorite. He ran the mile in track at college. Early on he was a baseball catcher. Accounts are that he could have gone semi-pro but would not play on Sunday. Avid golfer that he was, even at age 88, he would be the first one on the Wellington Golf Course of a morning (because he didn't want to wait on the slow players) and would play five days a week (not Saturday because there were so many players that slowed down the process) and (not Sunday because that was for Church). You would often see Don with his Colts cap. He enjoyed the few Colts games he was able to attend. And, he was always on the phone with family members who were Colts fans during the games. You should have seen the family group texts during the playoff games.

Don was a woodworker. Many have crosses that he made from Cedar wood to give to people in time of need or for other special occasions. He also made many items for family members which means when he made one, he had to make many. Some of the things he made were old fashioned wheelbarrows, curio cabinets, cedar chests, large play houses (that have lasted through two generations), toy chests, trains, trucks, semis, doll cradles, and other things for kids to play with. He helped build all types of wood related projects at the homes of children and grandchildren. As a fix-it man, he would hang a door, fix a window or screen, paint....anything to help. As recently as the second week of February, 2015, he crafted a second hand rail for the basement stairs and enhanced the original rail to more easily travel to and from the hot tub.

Of prime importance is that Don was an advocate for children. He found school funding wherever possible to help children grow and achieve. Six Title I summer school programs for elementary school children focused on learning through doing with children advancing as much as two grades in six weeks through fun learning activities. He wrote a three-year "Project Self-Image" approved for funding by the State of Kansas. There were 1,200 students and teachers in the program in Hugoton, Kansas including student teachers from out of state colleges. The major result was training many children and staff in the necessity of a good self-concept. As an out-growth, several of the teachers involved in the project became school administrators. He worked with the PTA to obtain computers for primary school before they were in vogue (and before school administration wanted them). Don retired at the age of 67. He looked and acted so young, no one knew he was old enough to retire. As a teacher and elementary school administrator, he touched the lives of tens of thousands of children (and their parents).

Young people away from school also benefited from the association with Don George. He supported kids of all ages in various activities such as 4-H and church programs of all kinds. He and his wife, Louise, were strong supporters of youth group activities at local, district, state and national levels. Often, they would sponsor kids at various performances, youth camps, and conventions.

Church activities included singing, music leader, Sunday School Teacher, Youth Group Leader, tour guide, and on and on. He met his wife of 42 years, Louise, at a Church of God Youth Camp, Camp Wood. After her death, he met his wife of 21 years, Beverly, at a church small group function.

Don was born and lived in Coffeyville, Kansas until he married Louise, a native of Hugoton, Kansas. He lived in Hugoton, Kansas until 1975 where he was a teacher, assistant principal, farmer, coach, and referee. In 1975, Don moved to Haysville, Kansas to become principal at Nelson Elementary School. In 1980, he became principal at Munson Primary School in Mulvane, Kansas and was featured in the 1992-93 edition of "Who's Who in Education." He retired in 1993 but continued to live in and support Mulvane the remainder of his life. An article in the Mulvane paper reported him as saying "I like Mulvane. I'm from a farming background in Hugoton and I like the small town farm flavor here. I think there are more people in small towns who really care about kids."

What Don cared most about was his family. He loved his three children, four grandchildren, five greatgrandchildren, and his wives Louise and Beverly. He dearly loved his sisters Juanita and Jeannine and all of the many extended family members.

Donald R. George was born October 1, 1926 in a converted chicken house on a farm a few miles southwest of Coffeyville, Kansas to parents Murl C. and Georgia George. He had an older sister, Lola Merle and several years later two younger sisters, Juanita and Jeannine.

Donald went to school at Longfellow Elementary School about 3 blocks from their house at 1523 Willow, Coffeyville. The house was purchased in about 1930 when he was 4 years old. They paid $3,000 for the house and used their only vehicle, a Studebaker, for the down payment. They went several years without a car but that house remained the family home until his mother's death July 10, 1990 (25 years to the day before Donald's death).

Back then, they enrolled a semester at a time so due to his birthdate of October 1, he could not start until second semester. When he was in third grade, that practice was changed and although most were moved back a semester, he was moved up a semester. That pleased him but it made him very young all the way through the remainder of his school years. He was 16 when he graduated from Field Kindley High School in 1943.

Because they had very little money, he began delivering milk around the neighborhood for a lady who milked a few cows when he was 9 years old. Later on, he began delivering the Wichita Eagle on his bicycle. He got paid a nickel per customer per week and five cents on the dollar for collecting. He bought his bike which cost $40 by paying 50 cents per week.

When he was in High School, he worked for Thompson Ice Cream Company. They sold ice cream for 19 cents per quart and 10 cents per pint. He began as a curb hop and later was promoted to the soda fountain where he "split a pair" (two banana splits) and made Coney Island hot dogs (a favorite that he prepared for us all of his life).

Don worked on the Missouri Pacific Railroad (MOP) for a year and a half as a machinist apprentice. His father worked for the MOP as a painter for 44 years.

He enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday and was inducted on November 6, 1944. He found himself on a train to Great Lake Training Station near Chicago and was transported from one train station to another through the streets of Chicago in a cab. This happened to be the day Roosevelt was elected to a fourth term as president. While at Great Lakes, he was the lead trombone on the front line in the Navy band.

He left Great Lakes for Norfolk, VA in February, 1945. He was assigned to the USS Weiss (APD -135)(all-purpose destroyer). His troop was transported to New Orleans, LA where they were trained to operate the new ship. He was a fireman first class. The ship was the size of a destroyer escort but had four landing craft on it designed for landings like D-Day. They were told they were getting ready for an invasion of Japan, similar to the invasion at Normandy. They were on a shakedown cruise to Cuba (Guantanamo Bay) when President Truman dropped the A-bomb to end the war.

He met a family, the Fosters, at a Church of God in Norfolk who took him under their wings. He often stayed with them on leave weekends. They also allowed family members to stay with them when they visited "Donnie". Some of his family members were able to be at the ship's commissioning.

After the war, Don attended Coffeyville Junior College. He also attended Pittsburg State University. Several years later, (when his children were ages 2, 4, and 6) he would earn a bachelor's degree in education from Pittsburg State University. He graduated with a master's degree in education administration from Emporia State University in 1965 along with his wife who received her bachelor's degree in education at the same time. During the years of education, the family of five would move from Hugoton to Pittsburg or Emporia for the six weeks of summer school. Often there would be weekend trips back to Hugoton to farm or complete 4-H projects, etc. Education was truly a family affair with many of the children being able to attend summer school programs at the college (and ride in a one-seater pickup truck back and forth when hauling family belongings).

Don was involved in a lot of church activities including youth camps. While at one of these camps, Camp Wood, he met his future wife, Louise Lowry. They were married in 1949 and lived in her home town of Hugoton, Kansas until 1975. During that time, he served as a teacher and assistant principal as well as farming, referee, coach, 4-H leader, youth sponsor, and many other activities that supported youth. Of prime importance is that Don was an advocate for children. He found school funding wherever possible to help children grow and achieve. Six Title I summer school programs for elementary school children focused on learning through doing with children advancing as much as two grades in six weeks through fun learning activities. He wrote a three-year "Project Self-Image" approved for funding by the State of Kansas. There were 1,200 students and teachers in the program in Hugoton, Kansas including student teachers from out of state colleges. The major result was training many children and staff in the necessity of a good self-concept. As an out-growth, several of the teachers involved in the project became school administrators.

In 1975, Don moved to Haysville to become principal at Nelson School. During that time, he was principal of the largest elementary school in Kansas with 914 students. In 1980, he became principal at Munson Primary School in Mulvane, Kansas and was featured in the 1992-93 edition of "Who's Who in Education".

He retired from education in 1993 but remained active. He was an avid supporter of his church, especially the Motivators class. There he enjoyed the many trips that the class took and often provided the lesson for the class when others were absent. Family members reading those lessons even now find them to provide significant education and support.

During his retirement, he played golf whenever possible five days a week. He enjoyed the few Colts games he was able to attend.

During retirement, Don spent a lot of time helping family members with all types of projects around the house. This might include building swing sets, hanging blinds and curtains that Beverly made for many family members, and various woodworking projects. Many of the items that he made for family members included crosses, old fashioned wheelbarrows, curio cabinets, cedar chests, large play houses (that have lasted through two generations), toy chests, trains, trucks, semis, doll cradles, and other things for kids to play with.

Don professed to the end that "God is good". He hoped everyone enjoyed their life as much as he enjoyed his.