George Tibbals Jarvis II

George Tibbals Jarvis, born May 24th, 1932 in Elmira NY, passed away quietly in his sleep on June 13th, 2025 at the La Costa Glen retirement community in Carlsbad, CA, where he had been living since 2015.

George was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Nancy. He is survived and dearly missed by his four children: Jennifer Krokey, Eliot Bertha, Jay Jarvis and John Jarvis.

As a child, George found a four-leaf clover and good luck thereafter seemed to follow him through his days. George’s life was full of family adventures, plenty of hard work and a generous supply of good fortune. After attending college in NY, he went West, first to Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas where he trained to be a Pilot Instructor. He then went to Arizona where he met Nancy and started his family. George developed Jarvis Farms in the desert outside Willcox, AZ, growing lettuce, cotton,alfalfa, sunflowers and eventually sugar beets. He told a story of how he used a forked willow tree branch to pick

the spot for the well for his farm - and was fortunate to find an underground river below the desert.

The family continued to move - first to Tucson, AZ, where he opened GTJ Hobby Shop, specializing in model airplanes and rockets. Then the family continued west to La Jolla, CA, and George cleared 20 rolling acres in Escondido to plant an avocado and protea grove. They moved eventually to Rancho Santa Fe, where George planted acres of lemon and orange trees.

George made the best of every day - he loved planting, watering, and sharing the harvest. He loved thunderstorms,the sound of the wind in the trees, family dogs, and grilling. George made friends wherever he went with his ready smile. In the words of eldest son Jay, ‘Dad, you are the music in our souls and the peace in our hearts, may you now rest eternally with joy and with grace.”

Finally, a poem:

Don’t be sad.

What a glorious full life he had.

Dad.

Tractors and tomatoes, avocados and El Caminos.

A man of the land called home.