George Ross Winham

George Ross Winham died at the age of 88 on Thursday February 21at Elmcroft Assisted Living Center in Maumelle, Arkansas. He was born nine months to the day after his parents were married. He wanted to live as long as his best friend and mother Helen "Honey" Winham, who lived to 94 years.

He was a conservative with Republican leanings and would frequently comment, "This country is going to Hell"! His long life is punctuated with ups and downs. He dealt with the downs with humor. He became the "nutty" uncle that many families enjoy. His earliest hobbies in the 1930s included photographing home life and building flying model airplanes, the great granddaddy of the modern predator drone. The "Big Band Sound" was a passion of his. favorite artists included Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Duke Ellington, and Bitsy Mullins on trumpet.

He worshiped his dad, George, his best man at his wedding and he eventually worked the same occupation in the same town as his dad. His lifelong best friend was his mom, "Honey", who continued to spoil him with food and attention until she died. However, his sister, four years younger, became the focus of his and the whole families' energies. After college graduation, marriage, and two children, his sister, at the age of 25, developed schizophrenia. He helped care for her another 50 years until she died with emphysema.

A strong Baptist, he attended Beech Street Baptist Church his whole life. He was their oldest member. Between church and school, he developed strong friendships with people like Jesse Clark, George Polus, Buddy Hodge, Ted Mabry, Jack Smith, Carl Ragsdale, and Lillian Delk. At Arkansas Junior and Senior High School, he played in the band. In five years of University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, he agreed to his dad's wishes to start premedical coursework. After completing all of the science courses, he quickly changed to business after witnessing a bloody surgery in the hospital operating room with his friend, Dr. Charles Yarbrough, who was in his residency. At the University, he joined the Kappa Sigma fraternity which began a lifelong highlight of his life thanks to the recommendation of Dr. Warren Murray. His friends included Jim Compton, Bitsy Mullins, Rex Ramsey, Jimmy Atkinson, and Jim London. He feared his organic chemistry teacher, Dr. Wirtheim and was horrified to see Dr. Wirtheim sitting next to him in German language class. His favorite teacher in organic chemistry was Eppie Oxford. His best economics teacher was Sleepy Hunsberger. Dr. Porter was a chemistry teacher that survived an explosion. Ross said that he was very excitable.

Elmer Ellsworth Ross, Honey's dad, lived with the family. He had diabetes and Ross loved to tell about the day in 1940 when his Grandaddys physician, Dr. Priest, made a housecall. After an examination, the physician was leaving and his granddaddy good-naturedly offered the doctor a drink of whiskey from a bottle he kept in the top of his closet. The physician offered a stern warning that the whiskey would worsen his diabetes. He angrily left the house leaving Ross with his beloved grandfather who pondered the moment and said, "He needs a drink more than I do". Ross roared with laughter every time he told that story. His grandfather died suddenly a year later, just before Pearl Harbor was bombed.

Ross trained for the insurance business by working in New Orleans at the Monteleone Hotel, in Jackson, Missouri, and Oklahoma City. In Oklahoma City, he was a claims adjuster and it was here that he met his future wife, Liz Hammerschmidt. He was eating alone at a local restaurant and noticed a pretty girl and went over to sit with her. They were soon married in Oklahoma City. Liz's brother, John Paul, from Harrison, was very supportive because Ross treated his sister with respect. Liz died of breast cancer at 56 years of age and after 28 years of marriage.

Among Ross' favorites were Charlie Conway and especially Helen Asmos. Helen was very good to Ross after Liz died and they remained friends for many years. In lieu of flowers, donations to Beech Street First Baptist Church, the National Rifle Association, and the Republican Party would be appreciated.

Funeral service will be 11 A.M. Saturday, February 23, 2013 at Beech Street Baptist Church Chapel officiated by Rev. Richard Posey. A committal service will follow at Rondo Memorial Cemetery under direction of East Funeral Home-Downtown.

Photos may be seen and condolences can be left at www.eastfuneralhomes.com