George Merrill Simington

George Merrill Simington slipped from his earthly moorings at Three Rivers Hospital in Grants Pass, OR April 25, 2012.

George was born October 8, 1930 in Santa Ana, California to George Z. and Margaret I. Simington. He attended schools in Santa Ana, Riverside and Perris, California, until his family moved to Selma, Oregon where he completed is senior year and graduated from Kerby High School in 1947.

After graduation, he joined the Navy in Grants Pass, OR where he served until he retired as a Chief Yeoman in 1967.

Following his military service George was a real estate broker and manager with Bruce Mulhearn Realtors before he and Jeanne opened their own office, Prestige Properties, in Laguna Beach, California in 1974. Those were glorious days while their business prospered and George served as President of Laguna Beach Exchange Club and Chamber of Commerce.

The call of the seas drew them away once again in 1984, when they set sail aboard 'Pintwick,' spending three adventurous years in Mexican waters. When Jeanne jumped ship in 1987 to return to the corporate work world, son George joined him as First Mate for two years to sail from Mexico to the South Pacific and on to Hawaii where 'Pintwick' was sold to a younger couple who followed their sailing dreams.

As a landlubber again, George joined a group of hikers and campers to explore the Southwest Deserts. Many trips to these deserts, led by Connie Van Kampen, opened his eyes and appreciation of the natural wonders of lands not bordered by seas.

George had a life-long love for flowers, gardens and landscapes he passionately planted and tended, and later expressed in his various paintings.

George and Jeanne moved to Merlin, Oregon, in 1997 and George pursued his varied interests in art, attending Rogue Community College classes with Pat Enos, Walt Padgett and Tee Corinne, as well as with water-colorist Marshal McDaniels.

George is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jeanne, of Grants Pass, Oregon, daughters Sherryl Lynn Schnelle of Lakewood, California and Linda Kay Horton and husband Jesse of Mill City, Oregon and son George Michael Simington of Grants Pass, Oregon, and his sisters Barbara E. Attaway of Sacramento and Judy A. Smithhart of Garden Grove, California. His brother, Jack E. Simington, pre-deceased him in 1997. Grandchildren Scott Wilson, Michael Wilson, Jesse Smith and David Smith, all of Chowchilla, California and Bryan Schnelle and Charlotte Winchester of Los Angeles provided George much pride and joy.

At his request, there will be no funeral or memorial services. You can be sure George would want all of us to celebrate his life in many other ways. 'Look at the moon tonight. Even with our differences in latitude, longitude and perspective, we're all looking at the same moon.'