Colleen George

Colleen was a fourth generation Austinite. In 1956, she graduated Austin High School, where she was a cheerleader and excelled in sports. At age 21, as a student at the University of Texas, Colleen was featured in Sports Illustrated for being the high point scorer in track and field at the Baylor Girls Olympics in Waco for the second year in a row. After college, she taught high school in Houston and later taught at Texas Tech University and North Texas State University.

Colleen and her husband, Tommy, married in 1970 and spent much of their life together in Arizona and Utah, where Colleen’s talents as an athlete were used skiing, hiking, and golfing. In 1988, Colleen set a record lasting 21 years when she finished first among her female age group in the Pikes Peak Marathon. Colleen also ran the Grand Canyon from rim to rim to rim. In addition to her athletic skills, Colleen was a scholar. She earned a doctorate degree in physical education at UT Austin and a doctorate degree in physiology at Texas Tech. Colleen also played guitar and sang beautifully. Her sense of humor was sharp.

Colleen was predeceased by her parents, Thornton James and Louise Courreges O’Connor. She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Thomas D. George of Lakeway; her sister and brother-in-law, Patricia (Patty) and Thomas M. Keel of Lakeway; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Linda Kay and Tommy Qualia of Del Rio; and numerous nephews and nieces.

A funeral mass will be celebrated for the family at Queen of Angels Chapel in Spicewood. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to charity.