The funeral services celebrating the life of Leland E. George, 84, of Enid will be held 11:00 A.M. Saturday April 1, 2017 in the First Methodist Church of Jet, Oklahoma, with Reverend Kaela E. P. Burdge officiating. The graveside service will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery, Jet Oklahoma. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral
Leland was born February 2, 1933 in Jet, OK, to Marion and Dorthey Nimmo George, and passed from this life on March 26, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Raised in Jet, during high school he played football and in teen years became known regionally as the Golden Gloves boxer, “Dynamite Leland George”. Leland graduated from Jet High school in 1949.
He enlisted in the United States Army, worked in the motor pool and was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant. During enlistment, he married his grade school and high school sweetheart, Evalene Mahnken Sullivan on May 23, 1951.
Leland and Evalene returned to Enid where he began a career selling insurance to Oklahoman’s with All State Insurance Company. He retired after 30 years to start George Construction Company with his son, Sandy. The family business of farming – with the George family having begun as participants in the Cherokee Strip Land-Run of 1893 – continued for Leland thru-out his lifetime.
He was an avid sportsman, coaching both boys and girls AAU track teams and girls fast-pitch softball.
Leland refereed high-school football in Oklahoma for more than a decade with a crew of lifelong buddies, eventually refereeing an Oklahoma All-State Football game.
He is survived by his daughter Lisa Penton and her husband Johnnie Penton of Oklahoma City; six grandchildren, Damon George, Desirae Penton, Carli Blaylock, Danielle Penton, Jerid Penton and Jillian Penton; three great grand-children, Mylanne Miller-Penton, Annabelle Blaylock and Dash Penton; sisters, Marlene Meintzer and Connie Bernhardt, of Loveland, Colorado, and Sue Schultz, of Indianapolis, Indiana.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Marion George and Dorthey George; Marion’s lifelong wife Marie George; his beloved wife of 31 years, Evalene; son, Marion “Sandy” George and Leland’s companion of over 30 years, Joyce Butler.
Memorials may be made in his name in lieu of flowers to the Enid YMCA Back a Youth Program, with Brown-Cummings Funeral Home serving as custodians of the funds.
Condolences may be made to the family on line at WWW.Brown-Cummings.com
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