He attended Paseo High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Missouri in 1952. In college he was a member of the Sigma Chi social fraternity and Beta Pi and Chi Epsilon engineering honored societies. He served in the United States Army from 1952-1955, serving as a First Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He married Lois Johnson in 1956 and they celebrated their fifty-sixth wedding anniversary in 2020.
George spent most of his forty-eight year engineering career with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) serving over thirty years in various capacities in the Kansas City district office; over half of those years as District Engineer. The Interstate Highway System was built during those years. He was Director of Public Works for the City of Kansas City, Missouri for almost eight years after his retirement from MoDOT. While Director, Bartle Hall was extended south across the freeway, the American Royal complex was rebuilt and flood control on Brush Creek and on the Blue River was emphasized. He completed his engineering career with HNTB Corporation as a consultant. He greatly enjoyed being with family and friends, fishing and volunteer work in retirement. He was a loving and devoted husband, and an extraordinary caregiver for his wife, Lois, in her final years. He invested time and lots of love into his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He loved his family well. His family and friends will remember George as a true gentleman—kind, humble, wise, with a gentle curiosity and genuine interest in everyone he met. He lived his life for the good of others.
He was a registered Professional Engineer in Missouri and active in engineering and community organizations. He was a life member in Society of Civil Engineers and the Missouri and National Society of Professional Engineers. He served as President of the Kansas City Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (1970-1971) and a State Director of the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers (1975-1992). He was selected by the Mid-America Regional Council as 1977 Public Administrator of the Year for the Kansas City region and by The Greater Kansas City Chapter of the American Society for the Public Administration as 1985 Public Administrator of the year for the Region. In January 1994 he was presented the coveted "SIR Award" by the Greater Kansas City Heavy Contractor Association. The award exemplifies the ideals of the construction industry. He was a member of the St. Luke Hospital Board of Directors for nine years during the 1990's.
He was honored in 1993 by the University of Missouri College Of Engineering for Distinguished Service and with the University's Faculty Alumni Award in 1996. He was elected to the University's Civil Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni when it was founded in 1998.
George was a member of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church and a former Vestry Member and Senior Warden of the Church. He and Lois were married at St. Andrew's and subsequently they helped found St. Peter's Episcopal Church when it was a chapel of St. Andrews. He was a lay Eucharistic Minister at St. Peter's and served in its vestry as Junior Warden.
George was preceded in death by his wife Lois Jean (Johnson) Satterlee; his father George Leonard Satterlee Sr. and his mother Mary (Goelz) Satterlee; his brother, Charles Satterlee, and sister Mary Betty (Satterlee) McGowan. George is survived by his daughter Jane (Satterlee) Neihart (Bob), son George Satterlee III (Susan); his grandchildren Jim Neihart (Rachael), Anna Lynch (Adam), Andrew Satterlee (Betsy) and Sarah Chaffee (Tom); his great-grandchildren William & Olivia Neihart, Noah, Judah, Bo & Miles Lynch, Claire Satterlee, Caleb and Joanna Chaffee.
The funeral will take place Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 6401 Wornall Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri. A reception will follow the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Luke's Foundation https://www.saintlukeskc.org/give-in-memory or Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church https://standrewkc.org/give/
