George Caddick

George Lewis Caddick, 88 years old, of Evansville, passed away the afternoon of Thursday May 28th, 2020, at his home surrounded by his family. He was born September 25, 1931 while stuck on an elevator at Suburban General Hospital in Bellevue (Pittsburgh), PA, to the late William & Kathleen (McKain) Caddick. After a move to Terre Haute, IN, George’s family moved to Evansville where he attended Hebron Grade School. Much WW II industrial activity was taking place in Evansville and Hebron students sold war bonds and collected metal for the war effort. George posted maps of Africa, Europe & the Pacific in his bedroom plotting position flags to follow war progress. One day in 1943 an airborne division being airlifted to the east coast flew directly over Hebron causing such a commotion with C-47’s overhead every few minutes that eventually school was let out. George graduated from Bosse High School in 1949, where he lettered in track and football and his pride and joys were his Jeep and his future bride. He graduated from Indiana University with a degree in accounting in 1953. While attending IU he joined Theta Xi and became Treasurer of the fraternity, enrolled in ROTC and upon graduation received a commission of Second Lieutenant in the US Army. He married his high school sweetheart Rita Jeanne Leslie on June 20, 1953, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Evansville on the hottest day of the year at 104 degrees. In the fall of 1953 George received orders to report to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for induction & training, after which he was forward deployed to Europe where his bride joined him a few months later residing in Stuttgart (Bolbingen) & Mainheim (Sindelfingen). In September 1955 their first son was born @ the Army Evacuation Hospital in Heidelburg. In 1955 he was promoted to First Lieutenant and became the Executive Officer and later the Commander of the 63rd Ordinance Company. Moving back to Evansville after discharge from the military, George first joined his father’s accounting firm before deciding a desk job was not for him, ultimately joining Hercules Manufacturing Company, which built commercial refrigerated truck bodies. Starting as their purchasing agent, becoming a partner and working as Treasurer, then becoming sole owner and president and relocating the company to Henderson, KY in 1957. George was the owner of Hercules until the company was purchased by his second born son in the early-2000’s, and George continued to work thru 2005 at which point he became President Emeritus of the company until his death. George loved his family, genealogy, restoring antique cars, working in his yard & tinkering around the house, served as Treasurer of St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal church in Evansville, and later @ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Henderson served for 9 years on the Vestry and as Treasurer for 15 years. George is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 61-years Rita Jeanne Caddick and son, James Arthur Caddick. He is survived by his son, Jeffrey Andrew Caddick, his daughter-in-law, Melissa Kay Caddick, and grandchildren, Elijah Epley, Autumn Epley, and Abigail Epley, all of Evansville. Due to COVID-19 there will be no visitation. A private Graveside Funeral Service will take place at Oak Hill Cemetery, officiated by Fr. Rich Martindale. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 5 South Green Street, Henderson, KY 42420, the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc., 840 LST Drive, Evansville, IN 47713, or the Evansville Rescue Mission, 500 East Walnut Street, Evansville, IN 47713.