George Emerson Sanborn, 96, of Falmouth, passed away November 19, 2018 after only five hours at Gosnell House with his wife by his side. George was born in Portland, Maine at the Maine Eye and Ear Hospital December 14, 1921 to Chester Sanborn and Doris Elgee Sanborn. He attended Portland schools, graduating from Deering High School in 1939. He attended Gorham Normal School. At the start of WWII he tried to enter the US Air Force. When that fell through, he went to the Maine Maritime Academy graduating with their second class in 1943. He entered the US Navy as an Ensign, serving in the Pacific on two supply ships. While his ship stayed by Iwo Jima (they had a full hospital on board) he happened to be on deck to see both flags go up on Mt. Suribachi. He also served in the Atlantic after the war on a ship bringing troops home. George was pleased to be made full Lieutenant a few years after the war. In October of 1943 he married his school sweetheart, Hazel Louise Frank, with whom he had beautiful twin girls, Suzanne and Dianne.
After the war, he finished his education by teaching and doing odd jobs while getting his masters at UNH, and his PhD at Teachers’ College at Columbia University graduating Phi Beta Kappa. George went to work for the Connecticut State Dept. of Education as Chief of School Building Services. After retiring he returned to Maine to be near older family members.
He was a member of the Masons, Kora Shrine, 75-year member of the I.O.O.F, VFW, and Woodfords Club. He played saxophone in the Kora Shrine Band, the Commandery Band, the Westbrook City Band, and sat in with other bands.
In 1997 he married fellow sax player, Ann Woodworth Clark, and for twelve years they went to Jazz Camp for a week and enjoyed playing jazz with the other campers in a number of their bands.
His wife of 21 years; his daughters Suzanne O’Cheskey of Trumbull, CT and Dianne Sanborn of Newton Highlands, MA; his grandsons, Terrence O’Cheskey of NYC, and Matthew O’Cheskey of Trumbull, CT, and Cindy Rafael, mother of his great-granddaughter, Sadie O’Cheskey, also of Trumbull, CT, survive him. His stepson Bryan W. Clark and wife, Robyn, also survive him.
Funeral services will be December 8, at 2:00pm at the Falmouth Congregational Church, 267 Falmouth Road, Falmouth, Maine. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Kora Shrine Transportation Fund, 11 Sabattus Street, Lewiston, ME 04240. You may offer your condolences online at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com
