George was born on November 17, 1926, in St. Augustine, FL. In 1929, his family moved to Norfolk, VA, and in 1942, they moved to Long Beach, CA. Here Dad attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, was a lifeguard for six summers, and joined the US Navy when he was 18.
He served in WWII on the Pacific front in an aircraft carrier until V-J Day. The GI Bill provided him education at Long Beach Junior
College and USC. During that time he worked several jobs and graduated a Trojan in 1951. After college, the only job that interested Dad was one in public relations and was hired at Decca Records. This began his 30-year career in the recording industry. He would work for Decca, Tower and Capitol Records, as well as Paramount Publishing Co., promoting new rock band music. The Doors, Eric Burton and the Animals, Sammy Davis, Jr., Pink Floyd, Louis Armstrong, Ian Whitcomb, and Janis Joplin are just a few of the big names he promoted. However, his biggest success in the industry came when he was on the road with a British rock n' roll band named The Rolling Stones. The Stones would later write a satirical song about Dad, recorded on the flip side of "Satisfaction" (a No. 1 hit in summer, 1965), titled "The Under-Assistant West Coast Promotion Man." During this time, he met and married Beverly Jensen and they had Suzi in 1960. After their divorce, he married Sara Lentz in 1971 and had Heather in 1977 and Courtney in 1980.
In the '80s and '90s, George worked in the computer industry and real estate. When he wasn't working hard as a single dad, he was going to his girls' games, taking pictures, jogging, skiing in Utah with Suzi, rocking out to a favorite song, or being silly with his grandchildren.
George is survived by his three daughters, sons-in-law Mike and Hayden, grandchildren Ally, Michael, Jack, Ben, Susanna and a world full of friends. His brother Lamar preceded George in death.
Services will be held on Friday, February 11, 2011, 10 am at Grace Baptist Church in Santa Clarita. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to your favorite cancer or Alzheimer's charities.
Arrangements under the direction of Eternal Valley Memorial Park Mortuary, Newhall, CA.
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