Belated sympathy to the extended Verber family. I came to find out about his passing today when I stumbled across this site, and wanted to send my heartfelt sympathy to his family. I echo much of what has already been said here by those whose lives were touched by Coach Verber - he was a man who influenced and impacted so many. He was my sophomore coach in basketball at Maine South (and he tolerated me in baseball - he once threatened to have me pitch in a game because he said I threw like a girl and the hitters would be laughing so hard they could not make contact). To this day I refer to him as the Coach who had the most long lasting impact on my life --- he turned this high school boy into a man. I have thought about Coach Verber so often over the past 30 years with many fond memories. I felt very lucky to run into him around 10-15 years ago when I was able to tell him how improtant of a role he had played in my young life. In a world where the importance of being a man has been diminished, George Verber was a real man who had an exponential impact in this world. He probably never knew how many lives he truly impacted and how many responsible and disciplined men (eventual husbands and fathers) he helped nurture to broad based success in their lives. He will be missed.

Every so often I would wonder what ever happened to Mr Verber. Sadly I am finding out that he had passed.  he was a P.E. teacher of mine at Maine South and I always remember his introductory exclamation for whatever we were doing that day in class..."MEN! We are going to run some laps...MEN! fly over that pommel horse, MEN! climb that rope..."etc.  He was a great and respected man and his leadership will be missed.

I deeply saddened to learn of Coach Verber's passing. He was my host instructor when I student taught at MS.
George was the consummate professional. Very motivated, detailed and energized. I'll always remember the shear smile and joy of excitement when he helped lead the Hawks to a suprising state championship. He loved baseball most and his family equally. He was a great mentor and fine gentleman. Really shocked that he only got 71 years...He did get the most out of those 71!

just read of george's passing and was very saddened with the news. he and barb were good friends to me during my high school yars at Maine South.  I always looked up to him and I'm certain his losshas left a huge void for all who loved him.

How fortunate I was to know George. In high school so many of us looked up to George for all the good qualities he possessed. We looked up to George but he never looked down on anyone. As good an athlete as he was that was always secondary to what a fine person he was. Yes, he was truly one of the really good  guys.  Jim DuVal

I was shocked to hear of George's passing.  Although I knew he had been fighting this illness for awhile, I really thought he would beat it.

I had not seen George between our high school graduation and our 50th reunion, but when we met there, it was just like yesterday.  Such a cordial person.  I don't know of anyone who didn't like him, and as good of an athlete and as popular as he was, he was just one of the guys.

My strongest of condolences go out to his family.  We'll all miss him.

I have known George since 7th grade, he went to Algonquin Jr. High and I went to Thacker Jr. High.  That's where I found out that George was an intense competitor.  We both moved on to Maine West and we stayed in contact through football.  George was not only an outstanding football player, but also an outstanding baseball and basketball player.  Though we both moved on with our lives George remained a good friend.  We were so sorry to hear of his passing, our sympathies go out to his family during this difficult time.
Bill & Judy Spyrison

My sympathies go out to everyone feeling this loss.  I was fortunate enough to have Mr. Verber as my freshman basketball coach at Maine South in his second to last season coaching there.  He was an occasionally intimidating presence to the 14 year-old me, but he taught me a lot about basketball, having pride in what you do in life, and "intestinal fortitude." He gave me a compliment once after a game that has stayed with me all this time.  It is still one of the greatest compliments I have ever received in my life, and I had just relayed the story  of that night to a family member recently.  Mr. Verber is frequently in my thoughts since I now teach and coach basketball too, and I hope that I can have a fraction of the impact on my players and students that he had on myself and my teammates.

Dear Barbara,Brian,and Brad my deepest symphonies and condelences.  I first met George when he was an usher at my church. I heard that he was a heck of an Athlete and heck of a coach.  I remember seeing work out at Ballys health club and I remember seeing work out with his son Brad.  I would ride my by his house I see him outside and I'd talk to him and he was always nice to me.  The world has lost a tremdous human being.

I knew George only while we were in High School, but even then he was a superb athlete, but more importantly a true sportsman and a consummate gentleman. The world is the poorer for his loss.

I'm so sorry to hear of George's passing and my heart goes out to his family and friends for the loss of this outstanding individual. I had the pleasure of spending my Maine East (and West) years with George as a homeroom classmate. I remember him well for the outstanding athlete he was and for the genuine friend that he was. Although he was very skilled and successful in about every sport he played, he never let it go to his head. He respected others and it's no wonder he went on to inspire and mentor so many young people in his lifetime. 

My brother-in-law, Dennis Sassan, a former baseball catcher at Notre Dame High School who played against him in the late 50's says: "George was one of the most intense competitors and easily the most decent guy I had the pleasure of playing against."

I am so fortunate to have known George as my PE teacher at Maine South and then some years later as my teaching and track coaching colleague.  He influenced my life from the way I taught and managed my classroom to the way I treat and teach the young people I coach.  He will continue to affect my life, for whenever I recall George, it is with a smile.  My prayers to you, the family of George Verber.

My deepest sympathy to Barb, Brian, Bradley and their families.  I was so sorry to hear of Georges passing. I knew "Mr. & Mrs. Verber" and their boys as my next door neighbors growing up, and ironically they came back into my life again, as George joined the fitness center where I GM at in February of 2009.  He was still the same kind, quiet, gentleman that I remembered him to be as my neighbor.  Our hearts are very heavy, as we feel we've lost a good friend and George will be missed dearly, but never forgotten.

There aren't words enough to express my grief and feelings of loss when I learned that George had passed a way. I just don't do Death well.
 He was an incredible athlete at Maine Township H.S. I last saw him at our 50th class reunion when he was healthy and well. 
It would be great to see photos of him on Facebook. I am so sorry for your loss, Barbara. George will be missed... forever. He was a remarkable man,and a Cool Dude. A positive guy.  See ya later, George.

Our Maine Twp West HS class of 1960 was a ‘lucky' group to have had many wonderful teachers, coaches, relatives, friends and neighbors for role models through our formative years.  That ‘luck' shows up rather vividly when we are able to review a person like George's life.  We all learned to work hard, have fun, believe in ourselves, help others, do our best, be kind, and so on.  Without trying and probably without knowing it, George became one of those role models for those that followed.  I enjoyed reading the comments from some of his former students and peers, and it is the same qualities that we saw it in George when he was a teenager – he had the personal drive and the dedication that it takes to succeed, and he had the right guidance to focus that energy in the right direction.  It was a blessing that he was able to transfer that gift to others.

George and I had not spoken but a few times in the years since our high school graduation, but as others have noted, it was “just like yesterday” when we caught up with a group of classmates a couple of months prior to our 50th reunion.  George had heard that I had survived a stage four illness a few years earlier and, although we knew he was experiencing his own health issues then, he made sure to turn the conversation back to my illness and my family and not to dwell on his issues.  The next time we talked was at the ‘night before' party of the reunion, and his first words were to thank me for sharing my experiences with him – he said it helped.  I hope it did.

As Bob Skaleski wrote that he thought George's companionship was what he will miss the most, and they hadn't seen each other in years – that is an example of how he affected people.  He was a Demon at Maine for 3 years, then a Maine West Warrior.  George was a warrior of the finest kind.  His skills were many, but his humility and leadership was something that I shall hold dear.  I am proud to have known George.  He was one of the “Good Guys”.

My thoughts and deepest sympathy to George and his family.  As a Maine West classmate and friend, I, along with so many of his friends/acquaintances admired George for his kindness, gentlemanly qualities, loyal friendship and last, but certainly not least, his superior athletic ability in all 3 major sports.   
  His fight for the past 2 yrs especially demonstrated the courage and grit George possessed. RIP my friend, Darrell Wells  '60

I speak for myself, but I am sure my thoughts would be shared by most if not all people who knew Coach Verber.  

He was a man of tremendous character, pride, humility, and he was a fierce competitor.  He showed the right balance of being tough on his players while having the unique quality of compassion and kindness. This is what made him a great mentor, coach and man to his players.  

I have not seen Coach Verber in many years, but I can tell you he is one of a handful of men, including my father, who have impacted my life in a sustained and positive way, and for this, I am forever thankful that I was fortunate enough to have known him and called him Coach.

My Sympathy to Mrs. Verber and your family.  I owe much of my stature in life to the legacy of Mr. Verber.  As a quiet timid high school freshman he saw the best in me I didn't see myself and he brought out the best like a skilled surgeon.  I could not appreciate it all at the time, but now many years later I realize how gifted he was teaching and knowing people. His love for teaching and coaching did not match his care and concern for one's well being.  I never met him following high school when he didn't first ask how my parents were.  

I spent 33 years coaching basketball.  His influence was with me in every game.  He was a master and I am blessed to have had him as teacher and mentor.  Rest in Peace.

My deepest sympathy to Barb, Brian and Brad.   George was a high school friend and teammate.  When I transferred to Maine West from a Chicago school, George was there for me with support, friendship and encouragement.  At our 50th reunion, George was one of the special people I truely wanted to see again....and when we shook hands after half a century  ... nothing had changed with respect to his humility, kindness and warmth.  He was a great athlete who achieved much... but I will remember George's companionship most of all.   Rest in peace, buddy.     Bob Skaleski,  Norwalk,  CT.

I offer my deepest sympathy to you Barb, Brian, Brad and your familiies. Coach was and has always been an inspiration to me my entire life. I couldn't have asked for a better person to have coached me as a teenager at Maine South High School. I was blessed over the years to have been taught the game of basketball and baseball by great coaches who were great people also. Coach Verber was both of those and of all of my past coaches he had the greatest influence on my life next to my father and father-in-law. His intensity and love of competition was palpable and infectious. My ex-teamates and I have shared many Coach Verber stories over the years, of which all have been inspirational and, I have to admit, funny at times.

The true mark of a great coach is, will your players follow you as their leader and perform at maximum effort everytime they suit up to play a game or practice. As a member of his undefeated 1970 freshman and 1971 sophomore basketball teams I can say that those teams followed their leader and never even considered giving a less than maximum effort. For a coach to go undefeated 40 wins and no losses over two years, while losing the top player to the varsity our sophomore season, is a testament to Coach and his ability to extract the best from his players. One of many things Coach taught me about coaching young people was that, as a coach, you needed to show your players that you were human. He told me this as he was handing out a piece of gum to an athlete in the weight room at Maine South one morning.
 
Coach was a man, making up my mind at an early age, I wanted to emulate. 
I will miss him and I am very lucky to have had Coach Verber as a friend and as a mentor. My memories of him will stay with me the rest of my life.

Barb, Brian, and Brad...
I'm sorry for your loss.  I considered George a great teacher, coach, and friend.  Never to mince words, he was a true mentor to me in my younger years.  Many fond memories of him at Maine South and Maine West and still have some pretty good "Verb" stories to tell at gatherings.  I'll miss him.

OBITUARY

George R. Verber

June 6, 1941 – January 22, 2013

Lauterburg - Oehler Funeral Home

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