George T. Henry

George Thomas Henry, one of four children of Wiley Herbert Henry and Mattie (Sanders) Henry, was born near Vilonia, Arkansas on February 20, 1925. When George was five, the family moved to Wilburton, Oklahoma where George graduated from high school. After completing two years of college, George enlisted in the U. S. Army on February 16, 1944. He received special training and became an Army Medic serving in Germany during World War II. George was wounded while attending an injured soldier on the field of battle and was awarded the Purple Heart for his bravery. He returned home to his family in Oklahoma.
On November 16, 1947, George and Lois Vanni May of Nashoba, Oklahoma were married at Wilburton, and George continued his education at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. George and Lois would be blessed with ten children, Georgia, Patricia, Jeannie, Tom, William, Ron, Judy, Robert, Carol, and Ernest.
George was again called to serve his country as a medic during the Korean Conflict. Following his military service, the family moved to Stafford, Arizona where George accepted a teaching position at Tallon High School for Native Americans. In 1955, the family moved to Macedonia, Iowa where George taught in the Macedonia High School. In 1960, the family moved to Carson, Iowa where George taught high school. He later taught at Walnut Grove Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson High School, both in Council Bluffs and later at the high school in Griswold, Iowa. In 1963, George was appointed as rural mail carrier for the Carson Post Office. He is remembered for his faithful service to his mail patrons and was known to have used his tractor to deliver the mail when the roads were impassable for other vehicles. George and Lois had been married 38 years when Lois died on January 22, 1986.
George and Leila Mae (Thompson) Hutchinson were married on August 8, 1986 and made their home near Macedonia. After nearly 30 years of service as a mail carrier, George retired in 1993 and he and Leila moved to Eufaula, Oklahoma. They returned to their Macedonia home in October of 2004. George's lifelong enjoyments included farming, fishing, camping, boating, and reading.
George died at Veterans Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska on February 19, 2005, just one day before his 80th birthday. He was preceded in death by his son Tom Henry; his parents; wife Lois; sister Alice Frances and brother Herb Henry, Jr.
George is survived by his wife Leila Henry of Macedonia; children, Georgia Small and husband Charles of Newcastle, OK, Patricia Laws of Oklahoma City, OK, Jeannie Russell and husband Hubert of Newcastle, OK, William Henry and wife Chiquita of Carson, IA, Ron Henry and wife Cheryl of El Reno, OK, Judy Long and husband Louie of Holly Hill, FL, Robert Henry and wife Patti of Silver City, IA, Carol Bliss and husband Don of Bellingham, WA, and Ernest Henry and wife Kim of Omaha, NE; stepchildren, Linda Thornton and husband Michael of Collinsville, IL, Nancy Sennett and husband Roger and Roger Hutchinson and wife Jennifer all of Macedonia, IA; sister Alma Burnett of Oklahoma City, OK; grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.