Mr. George J. Yohrling III

1940 - 2008

CHARLOTTE - Mr. George J. Yohrling III, 67, beloved and devoted husband of 44 years to Elaine (Gasparik) Yohrling, died Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at home after a long and courageous battle with prostate cancer.
George was born on Sept. 28, 1940 in Jersey City, N.J. to George Yohrling and Edna Abel. George graduated from Wayne Valley High School in Wayne, N.J. in 1958. Upon graduation, he went to work for Bell Laboratories, where he met and eventually married his one true love, Elaine Gasparik in April of 1964. George proudly served his country as a Sergeant in the New Jersey Army National Guard from 1960-1965. While working for Westinghouse in Dover, N.J., George attended college at night and received a Bachelor degree in Industrial Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1969. He later received his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1977.
George always had a passion for politics. In 1968, at the age of 28, George was elected to the Randolph, N.J. Town Council. In doing so, he became the first registered Democrat, as well as the youngest elected official in the 160-year history of the town. In 1973, George became the first Democratic Mayor ever elected in Randolph. George was also very active in his hometown of Randolph. He served on the Randolph Planning Board, Drug Abuse Council, Youth Soccer Recreation Committee and also coached youth soccer, basketball and track. Despite his busy work, school and social service schedule, George never missed one of his son's athletic games or daughter's music recitals.
Just before graduation from Fairleigh Dickinson, George joined the Curtiss-Wright Corporation in Fairfield, N.J. as an engineer in 1976. His job took him to Gastonia in 1985 when he was promoted to General Manager of Curtiss-Wright Flight Systems in Shelby. George would spend 30 years in total at Curtiss-Wright. George retired as Executive Vice President of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation and President and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Controls in March of 2006. He proudly continued to serve as a consultant for the company he loved until his death.
George's sense of community involvement did not falter when he relocated to North Carolina. He served on the Board of Directors for the Cleveland County United Way, the Board of Directors for the Gaston County Chamber of Commerce and as Chairman of the United Way Walk America Fund in Cleveland County. George had incredible passion and generosity for several other worthy charitable causes including: Habitat for Humanity, where he served as a family support mentor in Beaufort, S.C., the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation in Charlotte, Volunteers in Medicine in Hilton Head Island, S.C. and Classroom Central in Charlotte. Over the course of his life, George realized just how fortunate he was and thought it was his moral obligation to give back to those less fortunate than he.
Professionally, George maintained his sense of involvement. He was named to the NJIT College of Engineering Board of Visitors and in 2002 George was named a Distinguished Alumnus of NJIT. He also served on the Board of Governors for the Aerospace Industries Association and on the Board of Directors of the National Defense Industrial Association.
There is no doubt that George loved his communities, charities and Curtiss-Wright. However, what defined George as a man was his incredible and unyielding love of his family, most notably, is his best friend and love of his life, Elaine. As his disease progressed, Elaine never left his side. She comforted him to the very end with a smile, a touch or a kiss that redefined the meaning of unconditional love. Even in his final days, George still found ways to demonstrate his love for his wife and kids. His will to live and courage in the face of adversity was without equal.
In addition to his wife, George is survived by his three children, Elaine Stansberry and her husband, Randy, of Findlay, Ohio, Stephen Yohrling and his wife, Crista, of Charlotte and George Yohrling IV and his wife, Jennifer of Plymouth Meeting, Pa. He also leaves behind five wonderful and incredibly loved grandchildren, Joseph and Patrick Stansberry of Findlay, Ohio, Matthew Yohrling of Charlotte and Katie and Natalie Yohrling of Plymouth Meeting, all of whom will miss their Grandpa terribly.
George also leaves behind his mother, Edna Abel of St. Louis, Mo., his sisters Margaret Eisenhower of Myersville, Md. and Enda Burch of Columbia, Ill. and brother, Richard Yohrling of Port St. Lucie, Fla. George was the loving uncle to many nieces and nephews.
George was pre-deceased by his granddaughter and "little guardian angel", Lauren Elaine Stansberry.
Visitation: The family will receive friends Friday, May 9 at the Heritage Funeral Home at the Matthews/Weddington Chapel, 3700 Forest Lawn Drive in Matthews from 5 to 9 p.m.
Celebration of Life: Saturday, May 10, at 1 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home
Burial: Forest Lawn East Cemetery
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests that donations be made in his honor to the Presbyterian Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 33549, Charlotte, NC 28233-3549.
Funeral home: Heritage Funeral Home – Weddington Chapel