George E Tombaugh

Born at Saint Anne's hospital in Cleveland, Ohio on April 1, 1942, George was named after his two grandfathers, George C. Tombaugh and Earle Jesse Hienton. He was the son of Donald and Louise (Hienton) Tombaugh who met at Purdue University. The early to mid-1950s were an exciting time for a boy to grow up in Cleveland. The Browns and Cleveland Indians were the city's championship teams and George attended many games fueling what would become a lifelong love of sports. George attended Cuyahoga Heights schools before relocating to Toledo, Ohio in 1956 where he continued his education at Burnham High School in Sylvania, Ohio. During his childhood George was very active in extracurricular activities including little league, and in high school as a lineman on the football team (alongside his brother, Noble), a 440 yard specialist on the track team, and a baritone horn player in the band.

George matriculated at the University of Toledo in 1965 where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. He earned his undergraduate and master's degrees before completing his Doctorate in Education in 1975 and receiving special recognition for his dissertation research on school administrators. He continued his post-graduate education at both Harvard and Yale and most recently was a part of a think tank on global education at Harvard in 2011.

George began his career in education as a math teacher and track coach in Sylvania, Ohio. He quickly moved into administrative roles serving as Treasurer, Director of Finance, and Assistant Superintendent, before stepping into the role of Superintendent of Schools for the Springfield School District in Holland, Ohio in 1979. George worked tirelessly in this position for the next twenty years receiving numerous awards for his progressive leadership including the Ohio School Leadership Award (1991), the Technology in Education Award (PBS Foundation, 1992), and the Philip Rusche Distinguished Service Award (University of Toledo Alumni Association, 1993) and was named to the Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame by the Sylvania Academic Excellence Foundation (2002). During this time, George engaged in public service as an elected member of the Sylvania City Council from 1995-1999. In 1999, he and his devoted wife, Carol, relocated to central Ohio when he was appointed Education Policy Advisor for Governor Taft. George also served two presidential administrations as an Ohio spokesman for education and most recently as a member of the National Steering Committee Educational Team in the early 2000s. George accepted a position as Superintendent of the Westerville City School District (WCSD) in 2000 where he remained until 2007. WCSD experienced steady academic improvement under George's leadership, the most notable evidence of which was an increase in the district's graduation rate from 85.3 percent to 94.6 percent. George most recently worked as an Adjunct Professor for The Ohio State University and for the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, continuing his vigorous pursuit of improving public education and receiving requests for his wise counsel up to the day of his passing. In his final days, George spoke with fondness of the many colleagues with whom he collaborated and with gratitude for their shared efforts to provide the very best education for the children of Ohio.

George is survived by a large and loving family who experiences immeasurable grief at his loss. They will remember him for his academic and professional accomplishments, but more importantly as a loving husband and parent. He was renowned as the family repository of knowledge, reading multiple newspapers and academic journals each week and regularly forwarding articles to colleagues, friends, and family. An avid supporter of athletics, he passed on this love to his children by shepherding them through annual Toledo Blade runs and attending their innumerable dance and athletic competitions. His early departure cut short his love of travel and food as well as the family's joy in sharing these activities with him. His family will continue to recall with affection and laughter the mundane and less public aspects of George: his daily back stretching routine, grilling teriyaki steaks in the midst of snow storms followed by his 'speed prayers' to bless family meals, the quiet afternoons watching college football games with family, shuttling little ones to swim lessons in his role as 'Papa', nodding off each night with a dog on his lap, and his robust collection of fashion classics making him the best dressed man in town.

George is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Carol (Nicklas) Tombaugh of Westerville, OH, five children: Kris Evans, Ben Tombaugh, Jenna Lofgren, Fred Tombaugh, and Katy Tombaugh, and eight grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Emma, Kai, Dagny, Nina, Jacob, Emme, and Julia, as well as his siblings: Anne Cole (son, Alan) and Noble Tombaugh (wife, Mary, daughter, Sarah).

The family welcomes all for visiting hours to be observed on Monday, February 25 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Schoedinger Funeral Home located at 1051 East Johnstown Road in Gahanna, Ohio. Funeral services will be held at this same location on Tuesday, February 26 at 10:00 a.m. followed by a private graveside service for immediate family members at Rose Hill Cemetery in Springfield, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers, and in keeping with George's commitment to education, his family asks that donations be made in his memory to the Dr. George Tombaugh Fund through the Westerville Education Foundation. Contributions will fund competitive grants for innovative classroom and instructional initiatives submitted by district educators who are completing college coursework in educational leadership and/or pursuing their advanced degree or certification in educational leadership/administration. Donations can be made by mailing or delivering a check, payable to Westerville Education Foundation, to the WCSD Early Learning Center at 936 Eastwind Drive, Westerville, OH (please write "Tombaugh Fund" in the check's note space). Donations also may be made online by clicking the "Dr. George Tombaugh Fund" link on the WEF website at www.WestervilleEducationFoundation.com