John E. George

Surrounded by his loving family, Dr. John Edwin George went home to be with his lord on January 3, 2018, at Memorial Herman Hospital in Houston, TX. He was born in Pampa, Texas, on April 1, 1935, to William Conde George and Gladys Marie George. John grew up in Amarillo, Texas, where he loved to play outside, collecting insects and performing surgeries on frogs. He was a good athlete with a propensity for basketball. As a star varsity player in high school John earned an athletic scholarship to West Texas State in Canyon, Texas, where he earned a BS in Biology and Chemistry in 1957. He was involved in the Baptist Student Union where he shared the word of God, and his faith in Jesus Christ. It was there that John met the love of his life, Jaye Cunningham. They married within a year, beginning a spectacular journey of love, family, the pursuit of science, and the betterment of mankind.

After graduating from college, John taught biology, and coached basketball in Stratford, TX. He later went back to college, earning a Masters in Zoology from Texas Tech University in 1960, and a PhD in Entomology from the University of Kansas in 1964 under the guidance of mentor, Dr. Russell Strandtman.

John took a Post Doctorate assignment with the University of Maryland which took him and his family to Lahore, Pakistan, where he studied medical acarology. The family had to move to Tehran, Iran, due to the India-Pakistani war where they stayed until it was safe to go back to Lahore. It was a grand cultural adventure for the whole family. Upon completion of this assignment, the family moved to Lubbock, TX where Dr. George began an 11 year tenure as a professor of biology at Texas Tech University. He began his life-long research of ticks, taught many courses in biological sciences and mentored many masters and PhD students. One of his favorite adventures was when he took a trip to Antarctica with Dr. Strandtman to study mites. Following this, John served as the Head of the Department of Biology at Georgia Southern University for a short time before moving to Kerrville, Texas with Jaye, and daughter, Jennie. The Hill Country would be their home for the next 37 years. John was a research scientist before becoming director of the Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory. He travelled to Africa, Europe, Mexico and South and Central America as a representative of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations to work on the eradication of ticks and tick-borne illness. During his career, John supported and mentored many other scientists. He authored, and coauthored some 200 research papers, and earned many awards for his work.

Throughout his life, John loved time with his family. He was an active man, playing tennis, riding long distances on his bicycle, backpacking in New Mexico and Colorado, fly-fishing and could often be seen walking around the hilly streets of Kerrville. John had a musical side as well, playing the harmonica, dulcimer and ukulele, and singing bass/baritone in a few choirs. He dearly loved listening to his music collection. As a scholar, and a deep thinker in many areas, John also loved the pursuit of faith in Jesus Christ. His library of books were resources to support his many discussions with other seekers, bible groups, and to teach Sunday school. When John was in his 20s, he was ordained as a Baptist Minister, but never pursued this as a career. Having served in churches all his life, John was a Deacon in a few, most recently serving at the First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville before his move to Houston. He supported several community organizations, and helped raise thousands of dollars for the Texas State Mental Hospital in Kerrville.

John devoted his life to his beautiful wife Jaye, and their three children. He was a genuine person who cared deeply about the quality of lives of other people. Despite the decline in his health in his later years, John was always optimistic. He was thankful for the life he lived. And he was grateful for his care at The Forum Assisted Living Community. John George was an extraordinary man.

John was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Paula Bright, and brother in law, James N. White. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Jaye George, along with their children, sons, Scott George, Rusty George, along with his wife, Paula, and daughter Jennie Strozier and her husband Scott. He is survived by two sisters, Conde White, and Sheila Bright and her husband Ed Bright. His grandchildren are Hunter George, Shelby George and Nick George, Kate Strozier and Emilie McCarthy and husband Brendan, along with numerous nieces and nephews. John will be sorely missed by all of his family, many dear friends, and caretakers, and by his little dog, Beau.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 20th at 10:00 am at the First Presbyterian Church, 800 Jefferson St. in Kerrville, TX . In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Dr. John E. George Alzheimer's Memorial Fund at http://act.alz.org/goto/Dr_John_George for the Alzheimer’s Association.