Obituaries
Obituary for William "Bill" D. George
William David George, 76, died Wednesday, September 21 after a prolonged battle with cancer.
Bill was born to the late Russell and Evelyn George, August 24, 1940 in Memphis, TN. Bill attended Christian Brothers High School, graduating in 1958, and Christian Brothers University. In high school he was an avid athlete and was named an All Memphis quarterback. Following his time at CBU, he joined Ned Cook Industries, becoming the youngest member of the Memphis Cotton Exchange. He went on to work on Wall Street in New York for two decades, serving on the trading staff of former Treasury Secretary Robert B. Anderson and then as a senior commodity advisor for the Marc Commodities Corporation in the World Trade Center. Eventually he returned to the South where he settled in Knoxville and continued trading in the energy markets.
Bill was renowned for his creativity and innovation in the restaurant and bar industry. He partnered with long-time friends Ernie Patton and Robert “Silky” O’ Sullivan, to establish Silky’s Irish pub in Overton Square. O’Sullivan served as his best man when Bill married Marsha Samuels in 1975; they remained married for 17 years.
Bill spent the past few decades continuing to trade until his illness prevented him from working. A life long active member of the Catholic Church, he regularly attended Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville during the last years of his life. He was passionate about cooking barbecue, following sports, hunting and fishing in the great outdoors, soul and jazz music, and most of all enjoying watching his children Will and Jenny grow up.
Bill was always known by friends and family to be a colorful and unique character, whose larger than life personality always lit up a room. He is survived by two children: William George, Jr. of Memphis, and Jennifer George Lauderdale, of Washington, DC.
A memorial service will be held at the Serenity Funeral Home at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 25.
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Bill was born to the late Russell and Evelyn George, August 24, 1940 in Memphis, TN. Bill attended Christian Brothers High School, graduating in 1958, and Christian Brothers University. In high school he was an avid athlete and was named an All Memphis quarterback. Following his time at CBU, he joined Ned Cook Industries, becoming the youngest member of the Memphis Cotton Exchange. He went on to work on Wall Street in New York for two decades, serving on the trading staff of former Treasury Secretary Robert B. Anderson and then as a senior commodity advisor for the Marc Commodities Corporation in the World Trade Center. Eventually he returned to the South where he settled in Knoxville and continued trading in the energy markets.
Bill was renowned for his creativity and innovation in the restaurant and bar industry. He partnered with long-time friends Ernie Patton and Robert “Silky” O’ Sullivan, to establish Silky’s Irish pub in Overton Square. O’Sullivan served as his best man when Bill married Marsha Samuels in 1975; they remained married for 17 years.
Bill spent the past few decades continuing to trade until his illness prevented him from working. A life long active member of the Catholic Church, he regularly attended Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville during the last years of his life. He was passionate about cooking barbecue, following sports, hunting and fishing in the great outdoors, soul and jazz music, and most of all enjoying watching his children Will and Jenny grow up.
Bill was always known by friends and family to be a colorful and unique character, whose larger than life personality always lit up a room. He is survived by two children: William George, Jr. of Memphis, and Jennifer George Lauderdale, of Washington, DC.
A memorial service will be held at the Serenity Funeral Home at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 25.
Previous Events
Service
Sunday
25
Sep
2:00 PM
Serenity Funeral Home and Cremation Society
1632 Sycamore View Road
Memphis, TN 38134
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