On June 9th, John Edward George, loving husband, dad, friend, coach, Duck fanatic, rafter and mentor passed away while surrounded by loved ones. He was 56 years old.
He was raised in Coos Bay, Oregon and graduated from Marshfield High School in 1984. He attended the University of Oregon but graduated with his undergraduate degree from Southern Oregon University and his masters from Pacific University. He was a school administrator for much of his career and was currently the Middle School Principal at Dexter McCarty Middle School in the Gresham Barlow School District.
John worked hard and played hard. John lived and breathed education. He even married a fellow administrator, whom he met while they were both middle school principals. John taught her everything she knew, or so he claimed. He loved mentoring and supporting other administrative personnel throughout Oregon and the nation, and was asked for advice countless times. He was a staunch advocate for kids and he always loved working with the most challenging students. He worried about them when school wasn’t in session. Over the years, he even had students live with him and his family when they needed a safe place to stay. John became a father and mentor to many students and was always someone that believed in them all while supporting them in whatever way he could.
John’s dedication and care for students expanded beyond the classroom. He coached football, track, and golf. His North Valley High School Football team made it to the semi-finals during his final year as a Head Football Coach. He later served as the District Athletic Director in the Three Rivers School District in addition to many other District Office roles.
He was also a staunch advocate for students and public education. He served as Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA)’s President Elect during the 2022 school year, an OASSA Board member from 2015-2022, the National Secondary of School Principals (NASSP) State Coordinator for Oregon from 2015-2022 and could frequently be found advocating for students on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC or sending out advocacy alerts on social media.
John was an award-winning principal. He was named Oregon’s Middle School Principal of the Year by the Oregon Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) and the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators (COSA) in 2014 for his turnaround work at Fleming Middle School in the Three Rivers School District. He was chosen for this prestigious award due to his work in moving the school from “persistently dangerous” to an “outstanding” school. In December of 2013, the Oregon Secretary of State representatives came to Fleming Middle School to interview administration and staff to report to the Oregon Education Investment Board (OEIB) how Fleming overcame the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged students. The level of performance by students and staff is impressive at first glance but remarkable when examined in depth. The school’s class sizes averaged in the mid-30s, 28 percent of students lived with an extended family and not a biological parent, 16 percent of students were in foster care and the homeless population hovered at 14 percent. All of these statistics could have been seen as barriers for success but John George believed in all his students’ potential. John’s dedication helped eliminate the achievement gap and instilled a level of excellence for each student.
He truly lived life to the fullest and never took a day for granted. John loved rafting on the Rogue River and could be found on it year-round. He enjoyed rafting during the summer and fishing during the other seasons. He spent the last half of every July at Indian Mary Park with his family. This tradition started when John was just a child and continued far into adulthood. They spent time together connecting while they camped and rafted. John’s passion for rafting included lower river floats and all-day floats. Many times, you could find him at work with his raft attached to his truck so that he could go directly to the river after work to float, often pulling off the river at Galice Resort to say hi to his friend Debbie.
John was a HUGE supporter of Duck football. He coveted anything Ducks related! He was a season ticket holder for many years and attended too many Rose Bowls to count. His sons grew up going to the games and cheering them on with John. His “uniform” often included Duck sweatshirts, hats and t-shirts. In fact, his whole school dressed up as Mr. George and all wore Duck gear.
While John was an accomplished educator and coach, he felt his proudest achievement was his children. He was beyond proud of Travis and Trevin and the men they have become. He was especially proud of the care they show for others, the manner with which they take responsibility for their life, and the level of intelligence that they have developed. John cherished his time with his boys and always loved when they came to visit. They made a lifetime of memories over the years that John held dearly. John loved each of them deeply and was fiercely dedicated to them. We know that John’s legacy will live on through his two amazing sons.
John is survived by his loving and dedicated wife, Rachael George; his sons Travis and Trevin George; his siblings Mike George, Debbie George Krambeal, Patrick George, Dan George, and Angela George; along with his father and step-mother C. Marvin and Carol George. He was preceded in passing by his mother Catherine Crowley George.
A Celebration of Life party will be held at Galice Resort in Merlin, Oregon on July 22nd at 4 pm.
A scholarship in John’s name has been created through COSA and donations can be sent to 707 13th St SE, Suite 100 in Salem, Oregon.