JAMES L. GEORGE 1918-2003

BLACKBURN, GEORGE, FAHEY, MALONE, DOWD, GROSCLOSE

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 2/25/2004 at 21:21:07

James L. George

Telegraph Herald - Dec 28, 2003

James L. George, 85, of 3294 Lake-ridge Drive, died Friday, Dec. 26, 2003, at The Finley Hospital, Dubuque.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 255 W. 10th St. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, where military rites will be accorded by the American Legion Post 6, of Dubuque. Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. today at Siegert-Casper Colonial Funeral Home, 390 N. Grandview Ave.

Mr. George worked at Interstate Finance Co. in the Quad Cities, Madison, Wis., and Dubuque, where he served as vice president. He later owned a local insurance agency.

He was born on July 18, 1918, in Dubuque, son of George B. and Mary (Blackburn) George. He married Florence Fahey on Oct. 25, 1947; she died on Dec. 7, 1989. He later married Jane Malone on May 2, 1992.

He graduated from Dubuque Senior High School in 1936 and from the University of Iowa in 1940. While at the University of Iowa, he was on Big Ten championship baseball teams from 1938 to 1940. He was the Big Ten's most valuable player as a sophomore, batting .447, a Big Ten batting record that still stands today.

He served in the Marine Corps during World War II. He was a captain with the Second Marine Amphibian Truck Company (DUKW) and served in the Pacific.

He was a member of the Dubuque County Baseball Hall of Fame, American Legion Post 6, 330 club, The Squires, First Congregational United Church of Christ and the Dubuque Golf and Country Club.

Surviving are his wife, Jane George, of Dubuque; four children, James N. (Sandy) George, of Perry, Iowa, Douglas J. (Karen) George, of Middleton, Wis., Linda M. (John) Dowd, of Eldridge, Iowa, and Mary Beth George; 11 grandchildren, Alexa, Amy, Katie (Clint), Ben, Courtney, Kelsy, Niles, John, Robert, Jennifer and Tabitha; a great-grandchild, Marcus; two stepchildren, Kevin Malone, of Jesup, Ga., and Kate Malone, of Dubuque; and six step grandchildren, Ashley, Kyle, Erin, Joel, Andrew and Ross.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Margaret Grosclose; and two brothers, William and Donald George.

Memorials may be given to First Congregational United Church of Christ and the University of Iowa men's baseball program.