George A. Fawcett

GEORGE A. FAWCETT

HORNELL-George A. Fawcett, 87, a long time resident of the Hornell area, died Tuesday afternoon (Dec. 23, 2008) at McAuley Manor in North Hornell after a long illness.
Born in Canaseraga on Nov. 20, 1921, he was a son of the late Albert and Helen Pratt Fawcett. In addition to his parents, he was also predeceased by his three brothers, Art, Harry and Bill Fawcett; his sister, Esther Redmond; his son, Francis Frank Fawcett; his son-in-law, Stephen Terry and his nephew, Richard Dick Kelsey.
On July 7, 1945 in San Diego, Calif., he was married to the former Janice Meagher, who survives.
George graduated from high school in Canaseraga and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 8, 1941. He participated in the invasion of Gaudalcanal on Aug. 9, 1942 and eventually contracted a severe case of malaria and yellow jaundice. After a long hospitalization he served the remainder of his four year tour of duty at the Marine Corps Base in San Diego, Calif. before his honorable discharge in 1945.
After serving with the military he returned to the Hornell area and was employed nine years for the City of Hornell as a patrolman. In 1954 the Fawcett family purchased the Big Elms Restaurant and George served the Hornell community until his retirement in September of 1989. He later became the manager of the kitchen of the Hornell Knights of Columbus until his full retirement in 2002.
A communicant of St. Ignatius Loyola Church and St. Anns Church in Hornell, George was a Fourth degree member of the Hornell Council No. 243, Knights of Columbus, the Hornell Elks Lodge No. 364 and was also a charter member of the Fawcett Post of the American Legion in Canaseraga, which was named for his two brothers, Cpl. Harry Fawcett and Sgt. Art Fawcett who were killed in action during World War II.
In addition to his wife of 63 years, Janice, his family includes his three children, Arthur Charles Chuck (Christina) Fawcett of Las Vegas, Nev., Margaret Fawcett Terry (Mark VanDurme) of Hornell and George Michael Mike Fawcett of Rochester; his daughter-in-law, Laura Prete of Hornell; his five grandchildren, Christopher Fawcett (Erin OBrien), Shawn Fawcett, Holly Fawcett, Ryan Terry and Sean Terry; his three great-grandchildren; Aaron OBrien, Daylan Wetherbee and Keilly Fawcett; his sister-in-law, Lucille Fawcett; also his many nieces and nephews, including his three special nieces, Carol (George) Wellington, Mary Lou Fawcett and Joan (Bob) Dunn.
Calling hours are from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Sunday at the Bishop & Johnson Funeral Home, Inc., 285 Main St., Hornell. Friends are invited to meet his family at St. Anns Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Monday. Committal prayers and interment, with military honors, will follow at St. Marys Cemetery, Town of Fremont.
In lieu of flowers, those wishing may contribute in his memory to either the Fawcett Post of the American Legion, W. Main St., Canaseraga, NY 14822 or to the Hornell High School Alumni Assoc., PO Box 135, Hornell, NY 14843. Envelopes for memorial contributions will be available at the funeral home.