Ronald "Ron" George

Mr. Ronald “Ron” George, age 74 of Metropolis, IL, started a battle with Leukemia in July of 2018 and fought a very hard fight spending 50+ days in Vanderbilt Hospital, and received chemo, radiation and weekly blood and platelet transfusions. He left this world on Sunday, August 25, 2019 surrounded by his loving wife and daughters.  

Funeral services will be held at 12 noon on Thursday, August 29, 2019 at Zion United Church of Christ with Rev. David Deem officiating. Burial will follow in Metropolis Memorial Gardens.

Mr. George was born and raised in Canton, Illinois. He attended junior college at Sangamon County Junior College on a baseball athletic scholarship.   He completed his Bachelors of Wildlife Conservation at Southern Illinois University and his Masters in Guidance Counseling at Illinois State where he met Linda.   They were married in 1972 and to that union brought two daughters, Natalie in 1977 and Kristen in 1979. Shortly after their marriage, Ron and Linda moved to Ullin, IL, where he began his guidance and coaching career at Century High School. It was here that he began a wonderful coaching legacy starting with the Century HS baseball team and Century Jr High softball team. He extended his coaching and baseball knowledge to his daughters by helping with their little league teams as they were growing up. The family moved to Metropolis in 1989 where Mr. George became the guidance counselor at Massac County High School. Mr. George was very active with the City of Metropolis Scholarship Program and was instrumental in advising local youth on their college and career goals. He finished his guidance career as a Patriot but his coaching legacy continued with helping coach the Lady Patriots High School softball team while there which included both of his daughter’s teams, at Shawnee Community College, Heath High School, and once again at Massac Jr High and High School up until this last year. It was through his work as a counselor and coach that Ron touched many lives with his contagious positivity, smile, enthusiasm and wisdom.  

He was a passionate about sports and was also an avid outdoorsman enjoying nature, especially hunting and fishing. He was very active with the local DU chapter, banquet, and hunted ducks every year in North Dakota, Missouri and Ware, Illinois. He also loved to do yard work, take walks in the neighborhood, travel with his wife, watch Chicago Cubs baseball and spend as much time as he could with his daughters, grandchildren and all other family, friends and neighbors he loved so much.    

Ron leaves behind his wife of 46 years, Linda George; two daughters, Natalie Quint and Kristen Durrett and husband Sean; and three grandchildren, Grayson Quint, Griffin Quint, and Skyler Durrett.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Elanore George and aunt and uncle, Lila and Henry Haptonstall.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 from 5 to 8 pm at Aikins-Farmer-Loftus-McManus Funeral Home and on Thursday, August 29th from 10 am to 12 noon at Zion United Church of Christ.

Memorial contributions may be given in Ron’s name to Baptist Health Foundation Paducah c/o Your Fight Fund 2501 Kentucky Ave Paducah, KY 42001 or American Red Cross 232 N. 8th Street Paducah, KY 42001. Online condolences may be left at www.aikinsfarmer-millerfh.com.

Pallbearers will be Mitch Helm, David Gregge, Dan Stewart, Gary Krueger, Ethan Sommer, and David Griffey

Honorary bearers will be Jack Eyman, Cork Naydan, Ron Salamore, Glenn Hook, Bruce Furdyce, Jim Eyman, Wayne Herndon, and Jim Prevallet

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