George Keith McFall, Jr., passed away on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at his home in Naples, Idaho. He was born October 30, 1950, in Rockford, IL, to George K. McFall, Sr., and Elaine (Bride) McFall.
A lifelong lover of knowledge, George graduated from Boylan Catholic High School in 1968 and followed his father's footsteps into the study of metallurgical engineering by receiving an undergraduate degree at Colorado School of Mines and a graduate degree at Columbia University. While in college, George made a personal commitment to Christ, which changed the course of his life. He received a call to missions (specifically China) at a missions conference at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City. After college he moved to Ishpeming, MI, to work for Cleveland Cliffs Mining Company in the research lab as a metallurgist.
He met the love of his life, Marlys Marie Anderson, at Calvary Baptist Church in Negaunee, MI, where she played piano for services. They married on August 27, 1977. By 1979 the young couple, with a one-year-old daughter in tow, moved to suburban Chicago, IL, so George could attend Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in preparation to become a missionary. After many years of preparation, George and his family moved to Taiwan in September of 1990 to begin the work of church planting with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM).
He dedicated the rest of his life to spreading the gospel, for 17 years as a church planter in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, he also taught English and served on the school board of Morrison Christian Academy. He made demographic maps to identify areas least reached by the gospel to be used by churches in church planting. These handmade maps were published for many years with Taiwan Missionary Fellowship. Once returning to the United States, he trained for two years with Global Mapping International in Colorado Springs, CO, and also at the College of DuPage in Illinois, learning mapping software. After this, he spent another 10 years making maps for countries and regions all over the world for use in church planting and missions before retiring in 2019.
George showed his love for God in all he did, in his missions work, with his family and friends, and in his hobbies. He could be found working with his son and daughter-in-law on many projects around the property in Idaho, with his brothers rambling the woods with a pair of binoculars and a bird book, on the phone every Sunday with his youngest sister, browsing books at local thrift stores in order to build his own library, and watching classic movies at family get-togethers. His love for knowledge was only surpassed by his kindness, generosity, and good humor. He was the best of men—son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend—and he will be well missed by all who knew him.
George is survived by his wife, Marlys; three children, Kristina, of Vancouver, WA, George (Claire) of Minneapolis, MN, and John (Hannah) of Naples, ID; five granddaughters, Aurelia, Annika, and Amara Miller, and Autumn and Amelia McFall; brothers Don and Dennis; sisters Mary Shusta and Ellen McFall; and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Linda Hall.
A celebration of life is tentatively being planned for the spring in the Midwest. Details will be communicated as arrangements are made.
A lifelong lover of knowledge, George graduated from Boylan Catholic High School in 1968 and followed his father's footsteps into the study of metallurgical engineering by receiving an undergraduate degree at Colorado School of Mines and a graduate degree at Columbia University. While in college, George made a personal commitment to Christ, which changed the course of his life. He received a call to missions (specifically China) at a missions conference at Calvary Baptist Church in New York City. After college he moved to Ishpeming, MI, to work for Cleveland Cliffs Mining Company in the research lab as a metallurgist.
He met the love of his life, Marlys Marie Anderson, at Calvary Baptist Church in Negaunee, MI, where she played piano for services. They married on August 27, 1977. By 1979 the young couple, with a one-year-old daughter in tow, moved to suburban Chicago, IL, so George could attend Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in preparation to become a missionary. After many years of preparation, George and his family moved to Taiwan in September of 1990 to begin the work of church planting with The Evangelical Alliance Mission (TEAM).
He dedicated the rest of his life to spreading the gospel, for 17 years as a church planter in Taiwan. While in Taiwan, he also taught English and served on the school board of Morrison Christian Academy. He made demographic maps to identify areas least reached by the gospel to be used by churches in church planting. These handmade maps were published for many years with Taiwan Missionary Fellowship. Once returning to the United States, he trained for two years with Global Mapping International in Colorado Springs, CO, and also at the College of DuPage in Illinois, learning mapping software. After this, he spent another 10 years making maps for countries and regions all over the world for use in church planting and missions before retiring in 2019.
George showed his love for God in all he did, in his missions work, with his family and friends, and in his hobbies. He could be found working with his son and daughter-in-law on many projects around the property in Idaho, with his brothers rambling the woods with a pair of binoculars and a bird book, on the phone every Sunday with his youngest sister, browsing books at local thrift stores in order to build his own library, and watching classic movies at family get-togethers. His love for knowledge was only surpassed by his kindness, generosity, and good humor. He was the best of men—son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend—and he will be well missed by all who knew him.
George is survived by his wife, Marlys; three children, Kristina, of Vancouver, WA, George (Claire) of Minneapolis, MN, and John (Hannah) of Naples, ID; five granddaughters, Aurelia, Annika, and Amara Miller, and Autumn and Amelia McFall; brothers Don and Dennis; sisters Mary Shusta and Ellen McFall; and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister Linda Hall.
A celebration of life is tentatively being planned for the spring in the Midwest. Details will be communicated as arrangements are made.
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