George Vogel

1934-2017

Born to be a scrapper, George Vogel entered this world on 7 October 1934 with a big heart, and a small, fragile frame which the doctors did not expect to live. When his mother, Jessie Ethel Bast, brought him back a few months later for a check-up, the doctor required verification before he would believe that this healthy baby boy was indeed the same one he had delivered a few months previous. The fifth of seven children, he learned survival of the fittest, especially with his two older brothers who showed him no mercy.

He grew up in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, so from the time he was five years old, he and the other children would help pick fruit in the summertime for the family’s income. Sometimes kids at school would refer to them as “prune pickers.” He figured out quite young that, “If you’re small, you better make the first punch count.”

Horses were his passion, and his love for them began as early as he could remember. At 12 years old, he began riding horses at the race track. At that point, he was making more money than his father, Clarence Edward Vogel, and began paying room and board at home. He learned to rope and loved showcasing his skills at the rodeo. When it came to being a cowboy, there was more than his familiar boots and hat. He was the real deal…and he didn’t have much use for those who just dressed up and acted the part.

George was the only one in his family who finished high school. He said he only finished because it meant so much to his mom. He didn’t attend graduation and his mom picked up the diploma from his high school. However, it served him well because he had learned to type in high school. And because he could type a whopping 28 words per minute, when he was drafted into the Army from 1957-1959, he was given a job in the mail room in Germany rather than serving in the infantry.

George loved reliving the memory of meeting his bride, Beverly Sue Barry, of 57 years. His eyes always gleamed as he remembered the smile on her face, when he first caught a glimpse of her riding a horse, leading other horses around the race track at 6:30 am. He later said, “I knew right then I wanted to meet her. Anyone that was up working at that hour with a smile on her face, was certainly worth getting to know!” In his final days, he acknowledged that if he had his life to live over again that there were many things he would do differently; “However,” he said, “The one thing I would never change is the person I married.”

Two daughters blessed this marriage: Bella Marie, 56, of Spring Branch, Texas and Leila Kay, 53, of Corona, California. He is well-remembered as the cool, calm driving instructor for both daughters and six of his eight grandchildren. Those grandchildren can also attest to his generosity and story-telling abilities. No matter how many times you had heard his stories, it was monumentally entertaining to hear them repeated with such animation, followed with his familiar, hearty laughter. He is survived by 19 great-grandchildren as well.

George worked his entire life either riding or training horses. He traveled throughout many parts of the world buying and selling horses, and on occasion attending International Races. Often he trained for and dined with many celebrities, but that never really seemed to matter to him. Material things did not matter to him. He often just gave away very expensive items that had been given to him. When that big heart of “the scrapper” stopped beating, on 21 Sep 2017, what material items he had left could probably fit in two medium-sized boxes. Instead, he leaves behind an enduring legacy of hard work, determination, and generosity. Many have come forward sharing stories of his quiet, unselfish acts. Gone, but not forgotten…he will live on as we emulate the good, looking forward to the day of our joyful reunion.