Leon George Zabawa

Leon George Zabawa III, known to his family and friends as George, 61, died at his home in his bed overlooking the front garden and forest on March 19, 2010. He had been fighting esophageal cancer for several years.

Funeral services will be held at Ridgecrest United Methodist Church, OKC on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 10:00 AM. Burial services, with military honors, will follow at Fort Sill National Cemetery at 2:00 PM.

Friends and family are welcome to pay their respects to George Zabawa from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Sunday, March 21, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Monday, March 22, and from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Tuesday, March 23 at Primrose Funeral Services, 1109 North Porter Avenue, Norman, OK.

George was born on June 6, 1948 in Brunswick, Georgia, to Leon George Zabawa Jr. and Mary Belle Zabawa, growing up on the beaches and around the swamps in Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi. These experiences gave him a life-long love of nature and the sea. He was the second of three children. George attended high school in Midwest City, Oklahoma and met Pamela O’Dell while in the Civil Air Patrol. He joined the Air Force after graduating from high school in 1966 and was stationed in Tainan, Taiwan for 15 months. After his return from Taiwan, George and Pamela married on November 3, 1968. Two years later, he was honorably discharged as sergeant. George received his bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma in Anthropology.

In Norman, Oklahoma, George spent time working for the Oklahoma Conservation Commission doing archaeological work. As a father, he raised 3 children with his wife Pamela, reading them stories, helping them study on numerous late nights, playing games of all sorts, teaching them the love of travel, nature, imagination, literature and countless other important aspects of life. He continued to encourage his children throughout their adult lives and remained a constant pillar of support that will remain with them forever. As a grandfather, he treated his grandchildren with the same love and playfulness he did his children. George contributed his time and knowledge to the community through volunteering in the 4-H, first as a parent, then as a leader of the 4-H Clover Cloggers, receiving numerous volunteer awards including the Oklahoma statewide Lifetime Service Award.

George Zabawa was passionate about photography of all kinds, particularly taking pictures of and identifying native wild plants of Oklahoma. There were few places in Oklahoma he did not travel with his camera to find wildflowers from different regions. He published a blog with many plant descriptions with photographs and a book of his wildflower photographs is currently being compiled. George also loved writing. He wrote several children’s stories, which his wife illustrated, including a self-published book called “The Knight’s Quest” and the soon to be self-published “The Little Frog”. One unfinished book, combining both his love of wildflowers and imagination, is called “A Field Guide to Theos” and is being revised.

George was preceded in death by his brother Reginald Zabawa and both parents. He is survived by his wife of 41 years Pamela Zabawa; three children Christopher Zabawa, Patrick Zabawa, and Julia Narramore; grandson Ethan Narramore, step-granddaughter Angel Narramore; sister Constance Rozier; stepmother Patricia Zabawa and many other extended family members who love and miss him greatly.

Arrangements under the direction of Primrose Funeral Service, Norman, OK.