The Clayton Ray George Family

Reuben George Sr. * Joshua George * Enoch "Jack" George * A. Cary George * Clayton Ray George
The Clayton Ray George Family Line
Clayton George

1891-1976
Clayton and Florence George
celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary
(22 Oct 1972)
with their children:

click to enlarge

Virginia G. Karl,
Robert B. George,
Margaret G. Baker,
Mary Jane G. Rieth

Florence B. George

1887-1976
Clayton Ray George was born near Okeana, Ohio on 20 July 1891, a son of A. Cary and Emma Jane Fye George. As his older brother, Homer George, Clayton was educated in Butler County OH public schools, and went to Ohio State University, in Columbus, OH.

Clayton appartently met Grace Apple at Ohio State University in 1910, and they married on 23 June 1915 in Miamisburg, OH. They had a daughter, Mary Jane, on 11 December 1916. Not quite 2 years later, during a flu epidemic, Grace died on 17 September 1918 while Clayton was teaching at Purdue University.

In October of 1922, Clayton married Florence May Boston, who was born 17 Jan 1887 in Pierceton, IN. Florence had gone to Purdue and was a dietician, making home demonstrations in Indiana. She and Clayton were married 54 years, and had three children, Virginia, Robert, and Margaret "Marge". Florence died on 10 October 1976 in Janesville, WI, about six weeks before Clayton.

Florence and then Clayton were buried at Grove Lawn Cemetery, Pendleton, Madison Co, IN.

CHILDREN:
1. Mary Jane George RIETH
b. 11 Dec 1916
d. 31 Dec 2008
m. Lee A. RIETH
  b. 24 Apr 1915
  d. Jun 1984
Mary Jane George's husband Lee A. Rieth, was a 1938 graduate of the School of Civil Engineering, University of Purdue. They married in 1944.

Mary Jane was, among many other things, a George family historian, always eager to solve the mystery of who Reuben George Sr's parents actually were.
Lee died in 1984. Mary Jane died at her home in Goshen IN on 31 December, 2008. Her obituary by Goshen College began
"GOSHEN, Ind. � Mary Jane George Rieth, 92, a prominent Indiana conservationist and philanthropist, died Wednesday, Dec. 31 at her home in Goshen.

In 1964, Mary Jane and her husband Lee Rieth co-founded the Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center near Wolf Lake, Ind., in Noble County. They had a dream of establishing a natural sanctuary and hoped that people of all ages could learn about how the earth sustains life..." from here and continued
"Mrs. Rieth was born in West Lafayette, Ind., and grew up in Marion, Ind., where she graduated from Marion High School in 1933. She attended Ball State University and trained as a dietician at Purdue University where she received a bachelor's degree in 1938 and master's degree in 1942.

After graduate school, she served as a staff dietician at the Indiana University Medical School Hospital in Indianapolis and then married Lee A. Rieth in 1944. She assisted him in his executive roles with the family business, Rieth-Riley Construction Company.

Mrs. Rieth's generosity enabled Goshen College to create an environmental science laboratory when the college renovated and expanded the Science Hall in 1992."

"Though the Rieths never had children of their own, they loved children dearly. According to Betty Martin, of Goshen, who cared for Mary Jane, the Rieths' beach house at Klinger Lake, Mich., was always open to children."

"In addition to her husband, Mrs. Rieth's sister Marge Baker and her brother Robert George preceeded her in death. She is survived by her sister Virginia Karl of Geneseo, N.Y., as well as nieces and nephews."


[Also see relative with the Rieth name: Grace A Bias lived in FL with Marjorie Rieth. Craig Rieth was apparently the sole heir of Margorie A. Rieth who died in 2000 in Florida. Was Margorie A. Rieth's maiden name Roberts and from Butler County Ohio?]
2. Virginia George KARL
b.
d. living
m. Harold T. KARL
  b. 31 Mar 1923 Detroit, MI
  d. 30 Jan 2001 Geneseo, NY (77)ville
Virginia George married Harold T. Karl and had three children, George, Kathy, and Lisa. They lived in Geneseo, NY (Livingston CO). Born on 31 March 1923 (in Michigan?), Harold died in Geneseo, NY on 30 January 2001.

Obituary: "Dr. Harold T. Karl, 77, a retired music professor at SUNY Geneseo, where he worked for 26 years, died Jan. 30, 2001 at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester. Dr. Karl lived on Melody Lane in Geneseo.

He is survived by
his wife Virginia George Karl;
son George T. Karl of Columbus, Ohio;
two daughters, Kathryn Ann (Benjamin) Cruz Jr. of Warrenville, Ill.,
    Lisa Marie Karl of Geneseo;
granddaughter Lauren Cruz of Warrenville, Ill;
two brothers, John Karl of Detroit, Mich.,
    William (Delores) Karl of Port Ritchie, Fla.;
sister Gloria Hansor (sister) of Sun City Center, Fla.;
nieces and nephews.

He was born March 31, 1923, in Detroit, Mich., the son of Ewald and Mollie (Abernethy) Karl. He served in the Army during World War II, enlisting on March 19, 1943, in Detroit, Mich. and being discharged on March 22, 1944, in Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Karl obtained his Bachelor�s Degree from Michigan State University in 1950, his Master�s Degree from the University of Tulsa in 1951 and his Ph.D. from Michigan State University in 1971. He began teaching in Geneseo in 1962 and retired in 1988 from the music department�s School of Performing Arts. He was a 26 year member of the Geneseo Baptist Church and served on the Board of Directors for Livingston-Wyoming A.R.C.

No prior calling hours. Memorials may be made to Geneseo Baptists Church, 26 Center St., Geneseo NY or Geneseo Foundation, SUNY Geneseo, Erwin 202, Geneseo NY 14454-1485. Funeral services were held Feb. 2 at the Geneseo Baptist Church with Pastor Iliff Khan officiating. Burial, Temple Hill Cemetery in Geneseo.
Reference: Rector Hicks Funeral Home Inc., 111 Main St. in Geneseo.

3. Robert B. GEORGE
b. 26 Jul 1925
d. 12 Oct 1996 WI
m. Audrey
  b.
  d.
Robert B. George was born 26 July 1925. He and his wife Audrey had one son, David, and lived in Madison, WI. Bob had Lou Gerig's Disease. He died 12 October 1996 in Madison (Dane Co) WI.
4. Margaret George BAKER
b.
d.
m. Paul S. BAKER
  b. 10 Sept 1931
  d. 29 Nov 2007 Winter Haven FL (76)
Margaret George married Paul S. Baker from South Carolina. They lived in Goshen IN (Elkhart Co) and later in Winter Haven FL (Polk Co). They had three daughters, Cheryl Flemington, Joelle, and Susan. Born 10 September 1931, Paul died in Winter Haven FL on 29 November 2007.


Some Highlights of Clayton's Life
supplied by Cheryl Flemington and Margaret "Marge" George Baker

1908 entered Ohio State Univ - worked at Sheffield farms
1910 - met Grace Apple
1911-1912 Worked at a horse farm in Ky
1912 graduated from OSU
1912-1914 Taught at U of California Davis until 14 May 1914
1914-1921 Taught Dairy Extension at Purdue; met Florence Boston
23 June 1915 Married Grace in Miamisburg, OH
1916 Secretary of Indiana State Dairy Assoc
11 Dec 1916 Mary Jane born
17 Sept 1918 Grace died from Flu epidemic
1919 elected Secretary of National Association of Dairy Workers
1921 - 1924 American Farm Bureau in Indianapolis IN.
1922 married Florence Boston - lived in Pendleton, IN where both had interned
1925 started Producers Creamery in Marion, IN
1942 Pres & Mgr of Food Products Corp in Chicago (part of Producers Creamery that split off)
1944 bought a swiss cheese factory & leased it to the FPC (cooperative of 13 grocers) - made $9,000 a year
1946 moved to Madison WI
1947 was making $12,500
1948 resigned from co-op and built & developed Harp & Kettle Cheesehouse in Madison, WI which he operated with his son Bob
1956 retired and built a home on Lake Menona in Madison, WI
1970 sold home and moved to Caravilla nursing home in Janesville, WI, with Florence
1976 Florence died on 10 October 1976 in Janesville, WI, about six weeks before Clayton.
1976 Clayton (ss# 309-05-1135) died 20 Nov 1976 at Caravilla Nursing Home, Janesville, WI.

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