George "Champ" Atwood III

George confessed his belief in Christ at an early age and grew up in the Mount Zion Baptist Church along with his brothers, sisters and many other Atwood family members.

He attended Austin area schools including Johnston High School, where he excelled in football before graduating in 1981.

He was a good high school football player but, driving was his passion. There wasn’t a thing anyone on earth could tell him about driving a truck. He was born into a family where his father, uncle, cousins and brothers raised him to be the driver he became. He started soon after high school as a wrecker operator for Austin Truck & Machinery and advanced on to hauling gravel and heavy equipment. Not only was he a truck driver, but he also joined with his brother in professional car racing. He became “The Kid” of the “Motown & The Kid” NHRA Drag Racing Team with his brother, Clancy for several years. The Atwood family takes pride in the fact that he eventually ended up driving under his own cousin at James Atwood Trucking for the last several years, until he took his last ride on May 19th, 2025.

He was preceded in death by his brother Laron, his sister Debra, his son George IV and his mother Georgia.

He is survived by his father, George Atwood, Jr.; his siblings, Clancy Atwood, Janice Scott, and Vicky Atwood-Brown; his children, including daughter LaStarr Atwood (with Anita Morrison), and her children Patrice, Paige, and Patrick Porter; and his son Cody (with Donna Gauthier), and his children Emma, Devon, and Elleni. He is also survived by his special friend Becky Regan and her son Shawn Ramirez, along with a large host of extended family and lifelong friends.