George P. Redden

George P. Redden was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

George was born on August 15, 1935 at home in Tallulah, Louisiana. His parents were Rev. Charlie and Emma Redden. George was raised in Tallulah. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Redden household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, George was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. George was raised with four siblings. He had two older sisters and two younger brothers. George was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. George and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but George was always consistently loyal to his family.

While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of George as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Reuben McCall High School in 1955. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. George was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. George always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment. George brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. George was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. George was blessed with three daughters, Stephanie, Tammy and Kimberly. He was also blessed with four grandchildren, Andre, Marques, Breanna and Devin.

George greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. George enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, George was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was an cement finisher. He was employed for 36 years as a cement finisher. George worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

George served his country in the United States Navy. A literal thinker who possessed a calm exterior, George seemed to enjoy the routines set forth by the military. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job, and he understood well his role in serving his country.

George liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, George always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies, his favorite being yard work. George was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

George found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. He applauded those who won, and he enjoyed the statistical data and sports facts and could find himself wrapped up in those details. Recreational sports included baseball. He would watch his favorite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were football and basket ball.

George was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

George enjoyed traveling and taking vacations. Since he was an early starter and had a knack for planning everything, traveling with George appeared effortless. He enjoyed researching all of his examined options and applying cost-effective planning techniques. Plus, no matter where he traveled, George always had a back up plan at the ready, just in case. Favorite vacations included going to Las Vegas.

George was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. His family was rounded out by his family dog.

When George’s retirement finally arrived in 1998, he was well prepared. He always trusted and placed value in what was logical and in the things he knew, so he was very confident in planning his retirement. He had begun the process early and had his retirement all laid out well in advance. His new life involved relocating to San Bernardino. In retirement, he found new pleasure in being a dedicated grandpa. Even in retirement, George continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in his new community and felt fulfilled.

George passed away on June 6, 2010 at Jerry L. Pettis Veterans Memorial Medical Center. He is survived by his wife Zonita, daughters Stephanie and her husband Andre, Tammy and Kimberly; two brothers Dennis Redden, Sr. and Charlie Redden, Jr.; one sister Edna Noble and four grandchildren Andre Louis George Brooks, Jr., Marques DeLeon Brooks, Breanna Denise Jackson and Devon Christopher Hammond and a host of relatives and friends. Services will be held at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church on Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 10:00am. Inurnment will be at Riverside National Cemetery.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of George P. Redden. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.