William Thomas ""Tom George

Tom was born in Bridgeport, Nebraska on July 13, 1947 to Mary and Speed George of Bayard. He attended Bayard schools, graduating from Bayard High School in 1965, then completed his education at Chadron State College and Kearney State College (now University of Nebraska, Kearney).

During Tom’s high school career, he was a star in track and field, and in football. In track, he was a Class C State Champion in both the high and low hurdles, as he and his fellow tracksters won the Team Class C Championship in 1965. Most of the boys on that track team were lifelong friends in Bayard, and they enjoyed great camaraderie under their favorite coach, Harry Meeker.

At age 24, early in his career as a high school teacher and coach, Tom suffered a massive intracerebral hemorrahage, requiring a life-saving brain operation. He was never able to return to work again, but he did achieve a reasonable level of self-care for a good length of time. His brain injury hampered his memory abilities, his vision, and his athletic talents, but fortunately it spared his talent and love for music. For nearly 30 years, Tom enjoyed singing with his Barbershop Chorus, the Sugar Valley Singers. His good bass voice was appreciated greatly by his fellow singers, and especially by his chorus director.

In recent years, after multiple repeat brain operations, Tom needed full time care in the nursing home. He was content to be in Chimney Rock Villa, where he knew many of the workers and inpatients; he was glad to continue to live in his home town which he loved.

During Tom’s stay in the nursing home, he had numerous visits, calls and letters from old friends. High School pals and colleagues from his brief teaching career in South Sioux City, Nebraska continued to stay in touch. Some kindly came to see him when they were visiting Bayard, and many visitors from the Bayard community helped make his life more enjoyable by stopping to spend time with him. The friendly and attentive staff at Chimney Rock made his difficult last few years pleasant, and he and his family were very appreciative of his care.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents, Mary and Speed George. He is survived by his sister, Jamalee Clark (Dan), Gering; his brother, Randy George (Brenda), Weston, Florida; nieces and nephews whom he loved, Jenny(Clark) and Darin Drown, Aurora, Colorado; Jim and Rhonda (Snook)Clark, Aurora, Colorado; Ashley George, and Michael George, Weston, Florida; grand niece and nephews, Mary Drown, Colin Drown, Simon Clark and Seamus Clark, all of Aurora, Colorado.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at 2:30 p.m. at Chimney Rock Villa in Bayard. Memorial gifts may be made to the Chimney Rock Villa Memorial Fund. Tributes of sympathy may be left at www.dugankramer.com. Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel assisted the family with arrangements.