George Winston Abshier, 84, passed away Thursday, May 18, 2017, at the Limestone Medical Center in Groesbeck. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday, May 21, 2017, at Bowers Funeral Home in Teague. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Monday, May 22, 2017, at First Baptist Church in Donie. Bro. Robert McDougal and Bro. Bennie Mize will officiate. Interment will follow the services at Union Cemetery near Freestone with Masonic Honors given by members of Boggy Lodge #739 in Teague.
George was born in Highlands, Texas, to the late Charlie and Ora Lanita Abshier. He moved with his family several times as a child, living mostly in the greater Houston area near Channelview and the bayou, but also lived in Missouri, and Arkansas, before moving to Fair Oaks where he dropped out of school and moved again to Fort Worth and then Houston to go to work briefly, before joining the U. S. Navy.
George served in the U.S. Navy for three years, during the Korean War, and spent time at sea near Japan and elsewhere before being stationed in California. He met Betty Jean Nelson on a blind date in Long Beach, CA, and they married on November 1, 1953.
After his service in the Navy, George returned to complete his high school education and graduated from La Puente Adult High School in California. He then went to work for the railroad for nine years where he learned the electrician trade. He left the railroad and went to work for the City of Los Angeles, Water & Power Dept. where he would spend most of his career. He was transferred to the Hoover Plant in Nevada in 1975 but returned to LA in 1980 when he was promoted to supervisor and retired as Assistant Superintendent in 1994.
Throughout this time he was a member of the Rosemead Masonic Lodge where he served as Master in 1971, 1984, and 1990, a member and Past Worthy Patron of Arcadia Start #299 O. E. S., District Inspector of the 438th Masonic District from 1991-1995, and was a York Rite Mason.
George returned to Texas and moved to Donie in 1996 and became the caretaker for his wife. He joined the First Baptist Church in Donie and was an active member serving on various committees. Teaching Sunday school, and serving as chairman of the deacons and also served on the Executive Board of Bi-Stone Baptists.
He became known as the "Tootsie Roll Man" for always having pockets full of tootsie rolls which he enjoyed sharing with children anywhere he saw them and later to everyone. He volunteered as a driver for "Meals on Wheels" in Groesbeck for almost ten years before having to stop this past December. His route took him through Groesbeck, Thornton, and Kosse at times and he loved visiting with the people and, of course, giving them tootsie rolls.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Betty Jean Abshier; a son, James Alan Abshier; a grandson, Adam Wayne Abshier; five brothers; and two aunts with whom he was particularly close, Robbie Dee Stover and Thelma Sidell Owens.
Survivors include his sons, George William "Bill" Abshier, of Erie, Pennslyvania, and Donald Ray Abshier, of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter, Theresa Tilotta and husband, Mark, of Donie; grandchildren: Melissa Ansley, J. T. Abshier, Bradley Haynes, Jordan Elizabeth Abshier, Iain Abshier, and Christian Abshier; two great-grandchildren; sister, Esther Williams and husband, Kelly, of Magnolia; sisters-in-law: Sally Abshier, of Donie, Jean Harding, of Tennessee, and Janet Abshier, of Fredericksburg, TX; numerous other relatives and many friends. M5
George was born in Highlands, Texas, to the late Charlie and Ora Lanita Abshier. He moved with his family several times as a child, living mostly in the greater Houston area near Channelview and the bayou, but also lived in Missouri, and Arkansas, before moving to Fair Oaks where he dropped out of school and moved again to Fort Worth and then Houston to go to work briefly, before joining the U. S. Navy.
George served in the U.S. Navy for three years, during the Korean War, and spent time at sea near Japan and elsewhere before being stationed in California. He met Betty Jean Nelson on a blind date in Long Beach, CA, and they married on November 1, 1953.
After his service in the Navy, George returned to complete his high school education and graduated from La Puente Adult High School in California. He then went to work for the railroad for nine years where he learned the electrician trade. He left the railroad and went to work for the City of Los Angeles, Water & Power Dept. where he would spend most of his career. He was transferred to the Hoover Plant in Nevada in 1975 but returned to LA in 1980 when he was promoted to supervisor and retired as Assistant Superintendent in 1994.
Throughout this time he was a member of the Rosemead Masonic Lodge where he served as Master in 1971, 1984, and 1990, a member and Past Worthy Patron of Arcadia Start #299 O. E. S., District Inspector of the 438th Masonic District from 1991-1995, and was a York Rite Mason.
George returned to Texas and moved to Donie in 1996 and became the caretaker for his wife. He joined the First Baptist Church in Donie and was an active member serving on various committees. Teaching Sunday school, and serving as chairman of the deacons and also served on the Executive Board of Bi-Stone Baptists.
He became known as the "Tootsie Roll Man" for always having pockets full of tootsie rolls which he enjoyed sharing with children anywhere he saw them and later to everyone. He volunteered as a driver for "Meals on Wheels" in Groesbeck for almost ten years before having to stop this past December. His route took him through Groesbeck, Thornton, and Kosse at times and he loved visiting with the people and, of course, giving them tootsie rolls.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Betty Jean Abshier; a son, James Alan Abshier; a grandson, Adam Wayne Abshier; five brothers; and two aunts with whom he was particularly close, Robbie Dee Stover and Thelma Sidell Owens.
Survivors include his sons, George William "Bill" Abshier, of Erie, Pennslyvania, and Donald Ray Abshier, of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter, Theresa Tilotta and husband, Mark, of Donie; grandchildren: Melissa Ansley, J. T. Abshier, Bradley Haynes, Jordan Elizabeth Abshier, Iain Abshier, and Christian Abshier; two great-grandchildren; sister, Esther Williams and husband, Kelly, of Magnolia; sisters-in-law: Sally Abshier, of Donie, Jean Harding, of Tennessee, and Janet Abshier, of Fredericksburg, TX; numerous other relatives and many friends. M5
George Winston Abshier, 84, passed away Thursday, May 18, 2017, at the Limestone Medical Center in Groesbeck. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m., Sunday, May 21, 2017, at Bowers Funeral Home in Teague. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Monday, May 22, 2017, at First Baptist Church in Donie. Bro. Robert McDougal and Bro. Bennie Mize will officiate. Interment will follow the services at Union Cemetery near Freestone with Masonic Honors given by members of Boggy Lodge #739 in Teague.
George was born in Highlands, Texas, to the late Charlie and Ora Lanita Abshier. He moved with his family several times as a child, living mostly in the greater Houston area near Channelview and the bayou, but also lived in Missouri, and Arkansas, before moving to Fair Oaks where he dropped out of school and moved again to Fort Worth and then Houston to go to work briefly, before joining the U. S. Navy.
George served in the U.S. Navy for three years, during the Korean War, and spent time at sea near Japan and elsewhere before being stationed in California. He met Betty Jean Nelson on a blind date in Long Beach, CA, and they married on November 1, 1953.
After his service in the Navy, George returned to complete his high school education and graduated from La Puente Adult High School in California. He then went to work for the railroad for nine years where he learned the electrician trade. He left the railroad and went to work for the City of Los Angeles, Water & Power Dept. where he would spend most of his career. He was transferred to the Hoover Plant in Nevada in 1975 but returned to LA in 1980 when he was promoted to supervisor and retired as Assistant Superintendent in 1994.
Throughout this time he was a member of the Rosemead Masonic Lodge where he served as Master in 1971, 1984, and 1990, a member and Past Worthy Patron of Arcadia Start #299 O. E. S., District Inspector of the 438th Masonic District from 1991-1995, and was a York Rite Mason.
George returned to Texas and moved to Donie in 1996 and became the caretaker for his wife. He joined the First Baptist Church in Donie and was an active member serving on various committees. Teaching Sunday school, and serving as chairman of the deacons and also served on the Executive Board of Bi-Stone Baptists.
He became known as the "Tootsie Roll Man" for always having pockets full of tootsie rolls which he enjoyed sharing with children anywhere he saw them and later to everyone. He volunteered as a driver for "Meals on Wheels" in Groesbeck for almost ten years before having to stop this past December. His route took him through Groesbeck, Thornton, and Kosse at times and he loved visiting with the people and, of course, giving them tootsie rolls.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Betty Jean Abshier; a son, James Alan Abshier; a grandson, Adam Wayne Abshier; five brothers; and two aunts with whom he was particularly close, Robbie Dee Stover and Thelma Sidell Owens.
Survivors include his sons, George William "Bill" Abshier, of Erie, Pennslyvania, and Donald Ray Abshier, of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter, Theresa Tilotta and husband, Mark, of Donie; grandchildren: Melissa Ansley, J. T. Abshier, Bradley Haynes, Jordan Elizabeth Abshier, Iain Abshier, and Christian Abshier; two great-grandchildren; sister, Esther Williams and husband, Kelly, of Magnolia; sisters-in-law: Sally Abshier, of Donie, Jean Harding, of Tennessee, and Janet Abshier, of Fredericksburg, TX; numerous other relatives and many friends. M5
George was born in Highlands, Texas, to the late Charlie and Ora Lanita Abshier. He moved with his family several times as a child, living mostly in the greater Houston area near Channelview and the bayou, but also lived in Missouri, and Arkansas, before moving to Fair Oaks where he dropped out of school and moved again to Fort Worth and then Houston to go to work briefly, before joining the U. S. Navy.
George served in the U.S. Navy for three years, during the Korean War, and spent time at sea near Japan and elsewhere before being stationed in California. He met Betty Jean Nelson on a blind date in Long Beach, CA, and they married on November 1, 1953.
After his service in the Navy, George returned to complete his high school education and graduated from La Puente Adult High School in California. He then went to work for the railroad for nine years where he learned the electrician trade. He left the railroad and went to work for the City of Los Angeles, Water & Power Dept. where he would spend most of his career. He was transferred to the Hoover Plant in Nevada in 1975 but returned to LA in 1980 when he was promoted to supervisor and retired as Assistant Superintendent in 1994.
Throughout this time he was a member of the Rosemead Masonic Lodge where he served as Master in 1971, 1984, and 1990, a member and Past Worthy Patron of Arcadia Start #299 O. E. S., District Inspector of the 438th Masonic District from 1991-1995, and was a York Rite Mason.
George returned to Texas and moved to Donie in 1996 and became the caretaker for his wife. He joined the First Baptist Church in Donie and was an active member serving on various committees. Teaching Sunday school, and serving as chairman of the deacons and also served on the Executive Board of Bi-Stone Baptists.
He became known as the "Tootsie Roll Man" for always having pockets full of tootsie rolls which he enjoyed sharing with children anywhere he saw them and later to everyone. He volunteered as a driver for "Meals on Wheels" in Groesbeck for almost ten years before having to stop this past December. His route took him through Groesbeck, Thornton, and Kosse at times and he loved visiting with the people and, of course, giving them tootsie rolls.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Betty Jean Abshier; a son, James Alan Abshier; a grandson, Adam Wayne Abshier; five brothers; and two aunts with whom he was particularly close, Robbie Dee Stover and Thelma Sidell Owens.
Survivors include his sons, George William "Bill" Abshier, of Erie, Pennslyvania, and Donald Ray Abshier, of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter, Theresa Tilotta and husband, Mark, of Donie; grandchildren: Melissa Ansley, J. T. Abshier, Bradley Haynes, Jordan Elizabeth Abshier, Iain Abshier, and Christian Abshier; two great-grandchildren; sister, Esther Williams and husband, Kelly, of Magnolia; sisters-in-law: Sally Abshier, of Donie, Jean Harding, of Tennessee, and Janet Abshier, of Fredericksburg, TX; numerous other relatives and many friends. M5
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