George Henson Westmoreland, born Feb. 20, 1923, welcomed into Heaven March 24 2020, age 97.
George was number 11 of 12 children born to William Samuel and Lenora Sherrill Westmoreland on a farm near Prescott, Arkansas, and remembered at age six picking 20 lbs. of cotton in a single day. All 12 siblings married, and all marked 50 year wedding anniversaries.
Survived by wife Millie, son William Everett (Mary), granddaughter Andrea (Jiles), currently residing near London, England; grandson Michael.
Known by many nieces and nephews as Uncle George, was preceded in death by parents William Samuel and Lenora Westmoreland, siblings, Harold, Pauline, Lynton , Estelle, Sherrill, Keron, Samuel, Halcyone, Mary, Annie Laurie, and Gayle; son Michael; grandson Danny.
During the Depression, George's father, learning the value of his cotton crop had dropped to 5 cents per pound, followed other family members in moving to Houston, TX. There they rented a house on Shepherd Drive for $25 a month for the next 38 years and raised the family (or as Uncle George would say, "the kids raised each other". The family joined First Church of the Nazarene in Houston, where his father was a board member for many years.
In Houston George attended school and helped his father in his private enterprise (the produce truck), enlisting in the Air Force on Thanksgiving Day 1942. He spent the duration of World War II at Ellington Field, near Houston, and could take the bus home for "supper", which he often did.
Released early from the Air Force in 1945, in order to enroll in the fall semester at Southern Methodist University (SMU) on the GI Bill, where, according to one sister, achieved near genius levels in his studies, graduating in 1948. Later that year while visiting family near Pasadena, California, he met the love of his life, Ruthie Sanner. They were introduced by his college roommate, Roland Hanson, and later that year he and Ruthie introduced Roland to his future wife, Dottie.
George and Ruthie were married in 1949, had homes in Lakewood, Anaheim and Rossmoor, and taught Sunday School at the Nazarene Church in Long Beach. They adopted two sons, Michael and William (Bill).
In 1949, two of George's older brothers opened a business in Long Beach, making headliners (overhead upholstery for cars). Based on George's business degree, he was asked if he would stay in California to run the business. He accepted and managed the company for the next forty years.
George and Ruthie retired to Leisure World in the 1990s. Ruthie was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and passed away in 2006 after 58 years of marriage.
In 2008, leaving the church parking lot of Seal Beach Community Church, where George served as Visitation Pastor, he met up with a family acquaintance, Millie Hubbard, herself recently widowed. Having "30 seconds to ponder the situation", he caught Millie before she drove off and asked if she would care to have dinner sometime. That baked potato they shared at Wendy's, they're still talking about today. They were married New Year's Eve of 2008. Their home in Leisure World was characterized with Love and Understanding....and Laughter. In the afternoons they would read to each other from joke books and sometimes get laughing so hard they would almost need to call for assistance.
George was known by all for his humbleness and humility, and had friends everywhere.
Uncle George understood Ephesians 2:8, that says "by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."
George has been interred next to his beloved wife, Ruthie, at Forest Lawn, Cypress.
Services are pending.
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Above written by George's nephew Bob Westmoreland.