George Oatman Risher

The checkered flag waved on George Risher’s race around the sun on Wednesday, February 7th in Naples, Florida. While the 82-lap affair proved to be an eventful one—there were a few cautions and plenty more close calls along the way—no one could have run the race better than George himself.

George was a generous and hard-working man who helped anyone in need, and on Sundays, you could always find him at the racetrack or in front of the television set, rooting for an Earnhardt, an Elliott, or just about anyone behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

Born on May 23, 1941, George grew up in Tampa, Florida, with his mother, Georgiann, stepfather Harold, and four siblings, Charles, Joe, Debbie, and Naomi. He met his wife of 62 years, Julia while working in Miami. There, the couple had two children, Doug and Cindy.

George served as a marine engineer for many years, working in New York and Florida. He moved his family to Naples in 1971, at which point he began work dredging Marco Island.

Once in Naples, George established several small businesses that served the local community, including the Country Music Place of Naples and G’s General Store in Golden Gate Estates.

He loved the outdoors, air boating, and fishing. He also founded the G’s General Camp in the Everglades.

Welcoming him to Victory Lane on Wednesday were his parents, Charles and Georgiann, stepfather Harold, as well as his brothers, Charles and Joseph, his Aunt Mary, his nephew, Doug, and his daughter-in-law's mother, Nancy.

George is survived by his wife, Julia; his two children, Doug and Cindy; their spouses, Erin and Raymond; his Aunt Leah (Johnell); his sisters, Debbie and Naomi; four grandchildren, Lauren, Stephen, Tom, and Isaiah; five great-grandchildren, Calvin, Emery, Beau, Charlotte, and Cooper; in-laws, Loxley, Eileen and Gene, Sherilyn, Lona and Rick, and Lowell; many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins; a large family in the Cayman Islands; many friends; and his beloved beagle, Buster.