George Edward Steinmetz

George Edward Steinmetz, 89, passed away on Wednesday, October 28, 2015. Born in Waterbury, he was the son of the late Dr. George and Margaret (Whalen) Steinmetz. He was the beloved husband of 59 years of Shirley Wenning Steinmetz, and the beloved father of Susan Maloney and her husband Mike of South Yarmouth, MA, John Steinmetz and his wife Jane of Cohasset, MA, and Christine White and her husband Tom of Peterborough, NH. He was also the cherished grandfather of Daniel, Jessica, Elijah, Alexis, Lucille, Christian, Madison and Mackenzie, and is survived by beloved nephews and nieces and their families, and many good friends. He graduated from Saint Margaret's Grammar School and Crosby High School in Waterbury, and Wesleyan University of Middletown. He served in the U.S. Army for 26 months during the last year of World War II and the year following. His chief assignment was as a Clerk in the Headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division. The Division occupied South Korea to help the Koreans set up their national and local governments following the departure of the ruling Japanese. His first full-time job was as a budget analyst in the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington D.C. He returned to Waterbury and worked as a salesman of automobiles and life insurance. For the last 28 years of his working life, he was an employee of the State of Connecticut. He began as a budget analyst in the Department of Finance and Control (now OPM). Then he became the executive director of the Commission on Aid to Higher Education. The Commission operated a federal grant program to help colleges and universities finance the construction of classroom buildings. The grant program lasted 10 years. His last job was as a financial analyst in the Department of Higher Education. He retired at age 65. He and his wife, Shirley, were active in Wethersfield school and town matters. They both served as co-chairpersons of the Mitchell School PTO. He served as a Democratic Member of the Energy Conservation Advisory Committee, on the first High School Renovation Committee, and on the Board of Ethics. He was an active parishioner of The Church of the Incarnation, serving as lector, teacher of religious education, altar server at funeral masses, money counter, and coordinator of the annual Men's Weekend Retreat at the Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center in West Hartford. He was also a founding member of the Men's Association at the church. Funeral services will be on Monday, November 2, at 9 a.m. at the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:45 a.m. at the Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St., Wethersfield. Burial will be in the Wethersfield Village Cemetery. Calling hours will be on Sunday from 3-6 p.m. at the funeral chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the charity of the donor's choice . To share a memory of George with the family, please visit www.desopo.com.