George Bendis

George’s life began on October 14, 1933 in Clarksville, Pennsylvania. John and Andy were his older brothers; Sue and Julia were his older sisters. Clarkesville is a small coal-mining town near Pittsburgh; he grew up in nearby Fredericktown. His dad, John, arrived from Rokovitz (located in Austria-Hungary at the time) at the age of 13 to work in the local coal mines. John married Susan Slosarik and taught his son George to be proud to be an American. George was baptized in the Monongahela River.

Of his brothers and sisters, George was the only one in his family to go to college. He earned a basketball scholarship and worked on the Ohio Turnpike to pay his own way to Baldwin Wallace in Berea, Ohio. He also worked in the girl’s dormitory dining room where he met the love of his life – Joanne Greenwood. They were married on December 18, 1954. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1955.

Before college he played his trumpet at East Bethlehem High School in the marching band and in ensembles. He was even in a three-act comedy in his junior year. He was also the star of his high-school basketball team. A few years ago, he was pleasantly surprised to find his name next to Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant on a list of those from Pennsylvania who had scored more than 50 points in a single game.

George was a pioneer at the dawning of the Space Age. His career began as a part of NACA (predecessor to NASA). As a telemetry engineer with the highest level of clearance, he designed and oversaw the development of some of the first tracking equipment of the Space Age and some of the most top-secret equipment ever produced for the US government during the Cold War and beyond.

His career spanned six decades from Goodyear Aerospace in Ohio, to Pan American Aerospace in Florida, to the Aerospace Corporation in California. He was involved with everything from huge ground tracking stations, to remote test stations, to drone telemetry - long before anyone ever heard of a drone! He traveled around the world to oversee the installation and testing of what he created. He loved to stay at Hyatt hotels when possible but often had crude accommodations in some very remote places. Once, he even went to the North Pole!

George and Joanne Bendis moved to Stow, Ohio to start their family. In 1958, Greg arrived and, in 1960, Jim arrived. In 1965 the family moved to Florida. The family was active in the United Methodist Church in both Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and in Satellite Beach, Florida. George and Joanne moved to California in 1980; they lived in Orange County until George’s death on June 11, 2017.

George loved to go to Saddleback Church. When in town, his family would be with him in the center section, third-row, on the left aisle. Otherwise, George’s favorite spot put him in perfect view so that the family could see him and be with him when joining the live Saddleback Church services online.

George is survived by his wife Joanne and his sons Greg and Jim; his brother Andrew; Greg’s daughters Amy and Kristi; Amy’s daughter Ava; and, Jim’s sons Max and Duke. Greg lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife Janel; Jim lives in Kilauea (Kauai), Hawaii with his fiancée Leisa.

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George Bendis lived the great American dream. His love for the Lord, love for his family and his hard work made it possible.

George’s life began on October 14, 1933 in Clarksville, Pennsylvania. John and Andy were his older brothers; Sue and Julia were his older sisters. Clarkesville is a small coal-mining town near Pittsburgh; he grew up in nearby Fredericktown. His dad, John, arrived from Rokovitz (located in Austria-Hungary at the time) at the age of 13 to work in the local coal mines. John married Susan Slosarik and taught his son George to be proud to be an American. George was baptized in the Monongahela River.

Of his brothers and sisters, George was the only one in his family to go to college. He earned a basketball scholarship and worked on the Ohio Turnpike to pay his own way to Baldwin Wallace in Berea, Ohio. He also worked in the girl’s dormitory dining room where he met the love of his life – Joanne Greenwood. They were married on December 18, 1954. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering in 1955.

Before college he played his trumpet at East Bethlehem High School in the marching band and in ensembles. He was even in a three-act comedy in his junior year. He was also the star of his high-school basketball team. A few years ago, he was pleasantly surprised to find his name next to Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant on a list of those from Pennsylvania who had scored more than 50 points in a single game.

George was a pioneer at the dawning of the Space Age. His career began as a part of NACA (predecessor to NASA). As a telemetry engineer with the highest level of clearance, he designed and oversaw the development of some of the first tracking equipment of the Space Age and some of the most top-secret equipment ever produced for the US government during the Cold War and beyond.

His career spanned six decades from Goodyear Aerospace in Ohio, to Pan American Aerospace in Florida, to the Aerospace Corporation in California. He was involved with everything from huge ground tracking stations, to remote test stations, to drone telemetry - long before anyone ever heard of a drone! He traveled around the world to oversee the installation and testing of what he created. He loved to stay at Hyatt hotels when possible but often had crude accommodations in some very remote places. Once, he even went to the North Pole!

George and Joanne Bendis moved to Stow, Ohio to start their family. In 1958, Greg arrived and, in 1960, Jim arrived. In 1965 the family moved to Florida. The family was active in the United Methodist Church in both Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and in Satellite Beach, Florida. George and Joanne moved to California in 1980; they lived in Orange County until George’s death on June 11, 2017.

George loved to go to Saddleback Church. When in town, his family would be with him in the center section, third-row, on the left aisle. Otherwise, George’s favorite spot put him in perfect view so that the family could see him and be with him when joining the live Saddleback Church services online.

George is survived by his wife Joanne and his sons Greg and Jim; his brother Andrew; Greg’s daughters Amy and Kristi; Amy’s daughter Ava; and, Jim’s sons Max and Duke. Greg lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife Janel; Jim lives in Kilauea (Kauai), Hawaii with his fiancée Leisa.

To view the slideshow the family created for George's service, please download the following link: https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AGlu40lCXxoLhmY&cid=C1E7479D53A6989E&id=C1E7479D53A6989E%211303&parId=root&o=OneUp