Fred George

FRED GEORGE, SR., was born on July 9, 1949, in Birmingham, Alabama, to Willie Isiah and Mary Jane (McGinnis) George, who preceded him in death. He had two brothers, Henry George and Willie I. George, Jr., both of New Jersey, and two sisters, Callie Mae (George) Smiley of Alabama and Dorothy Mae (George) Jones of Connecticut who also preceded him in death. T he George family moved from Birmingham to Selma in the late 1940s where he accepted Christ and was baptized under the leadership of Reverend David L. Lashore at Mount Carmel Baptist Church. He served as a Junior Usher and was a member of the Junior Usher Board. In the late 1950s, he attended Clark Elementary School. Attending R. B. Hudson High School (now Selma High School) in the early 1960s, he proudly wore the #81 as he played football for the R. B. Hudson Tigers. While in high school, he became interested in the goal of the Civil Rights Movement. R. B. Hudson High School became the center of the voting rights campaign. He participated in the Selma to Montgomery marches which became a vital part of the eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. He later moved to Chicago and worked many jobs before securing a job as a Custodian with the Chicago Public Schools. In 1973, he met and married his lifelong partner, Patricia Ann (Gaston) George. Within this union, one child was nurtured and two children were born. He worked until his retirement in 2013. They remained married for 52 years until his death. He departed this life on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at Mount Sinai Hospital in Chicago, IL. He leaves to cherish his memories: his wife, Patricia Ann (Gaston) George of Chicago, IL; two daughters, Sherie Gaston and Margo George of Chicago, IL; two sons, Fred M. George, Jr., and Elijah J. C. Gaston of Chicago, IL; two sisters, Brenda George of Chicago, IL, and Debra (George) White of Connecticut; one brother, Roosevelt George of Connecticut; three grandsons, D’Andre Gaston (Chrisshawn), Eric Gaston (Ryan), and Fred Q. George III of Chicago, IL; two granddaughters, Shyera Gaston and Jerae Richardson of Chicago, IL; great-grandchildren, Tamaya, Pearl, Lyriq, Litroy, September, Lotus, De’Ari, and Leidi; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

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