George Edlund

In the course of a life which spanned a century, George Edlund picked tomatoes in California, lived in post-war Germany, worked in the grocery industry and ran 5K and 10K races in his eighties. The things that brought him the most joy, however, were the simple pleasures visits to friends and family and days at the beach with his family. A truly selfless man, George dedicated his life to providing for his beloved wife and children. George was never happier than when he was surrounded by those he loved. George Bernard was born on February 24, 1912, to proud parents Charles and Charlotte Edlund. Charles and Charlotte had ten children in all. George grew up with siblings Karin, Eleanor, Olga, Wilma, Jean, Carl, Ralph, Fritz, and Edwin. The Edlund family lived in Muskegon, Michigan, where Charles worked at one of the many the paper mills in the area in the early 1900s. They belonged to Samuel Lutheran Church, where George would be a faithful member his entire life. As a boy, George loved swimming and hiking. He often jogged from his house to Lake Michigan a distance of over five miles! Times were sometimes tough in the Edlund household, however, especially during the Depression. During high school, George worked at the A Grocery Store, and had to help pay the electric bill in order to study at night. After George graduated from Muskegon High School in 1930, he found a job at Shaw Walker. He then went on to Brunswick, before finally deciding to return to A During these years, George dated off and on, but never married. This was because he felt a responsibility to take care of his widowed mother. As America was drawn into World War II, George decided to serve his country by joining the U.S. Army. He was first posted to Aleutian Islands, and then transferred to Germany after the end of the war. While in Germany, he lived with a local family, beginning what would be a lifelong friendship. In 1945, after three years of honorable service, George returned to Muskegon and the A store. While working at A, George met a fellow employee Frances Schembri. George was working in the produce department at the time, and Frances asked him if he had any green bananas. George replied, Yes, we have no green bananas. That was all it took George and Frances became friends and then a couple. However, George wasnt quite ready to settle down, so after dating Francis for some time he moved to California, where he got a job working for a local farmer. Heartbroken, Frances moved back to her hometown of Oneida, New York. One day, however, George heard God speaking to him in the field, telling him that Frances was the girl for him and he needed to marry her. George didnt waste any time he bought a ring, went to New York, and proposed! The happy couple was married on New Years Eve of 1949. After living in New York for a year, George and Frances settled down in Muskegon. In the years to come, they were blessed with five children: Karin, Kirsten, George Jr., John, and Frank. George was a wonderful father, and completely dedicated to his family. Having grown up in the Depression, George made many sacrifices to ensure his familys security. He often made triple payments on the house, in order to pay off the mortgage quicker, and the family had just one TV and one car. The children always had what they needed, however, as George always put their needs first. The whole family attended services at Samuel Lutheran, where George volunteered his time as a Sunday school teacher and in various other capacities. George loved the outdoors, and made many happy memories with his family on the beach of Lake Michigan. The kids also looked forward to Sunday drives, which usually ended up at an ice cream shop. Although the family never took elaborate vacations, they did enjoy traveling to New York to visit Frances family every summer. George retired from A at the age of 62, after 40 years of dedicated service, during which time he had managed stores in several different locations in the Muskegon area. He wasnt quite ready to give up work completely, however, and found a part-time job driving cars for Cooper Used Cars. He also joined the YMCA, and started jogging regularly. This was a hobby he shared with his children Karin and John, and the three of them participated in 5K and 10K runs around the state. George was often the oldest participant in the race! George was in great shape, and continued to run races until he was 86 years old. George and Frances took advantage of their newfound leisure to do some traveling, and enjoyed trips to Florida, where they visited relatives. George enjoyed attending the Detroit Tiger spring training games with his brother-in-law Virgil. George and Frances also had the opportunity to visit Europe several times, where George reconnected with his old host family from WWII. Sadly, Georges beloved wife and companion passed away in 2004. Frances death was very hard on George, but he continued to live on his own, thanks to the help of his children and other caregivers. Recently, a celebration was held for Georges 100th birthday at Samuel Lutheran Church of Muskegon, Michigan. Selfless, hard-working, and kind, George was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a loyal friend. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his many friends and family members. George B. Edlund, Sr., died on September 15, 2012, at the age of 100. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Francis. Georges family includes his daughters, Karin (Tim) Chisholm of Eden Prairie MN and Kirsten (Tom) Vescio of Muskegon; his sons, George (Tina) Edlund Jr. of New Era, John (Gary Gibson) Edlund of Grand Rapids, and Frank Edlund of Muskegon; his grandchildren, Donald, Amy, Stacey, Robert, Melissa and Derek; his 10 great-grandchildren; his brother, Edwin Edlund of Muskegon; his sister, Jean Siplon of Muskegon; his sister-in-law, Margaret Edlund of Muskegon; and many nieces and nephews. Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 19, at Samuel Lutheran Church, with Rev. Marcy Miller officiating. Interment will be at Sunrise Memorial Gardens. Visitation is on Wednesday, September 19, one hour prior to the service at Samuel Lutheran Church. Memorials may be made to Samuel Lutheran Church Endowment Fund. Please visit Georges personal memory page at www.clockfuneralhome.com, where you can learn more about his life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.