George R. Mosher Jr.

1921 - 2020

George R. Mosher, Jr.

George R. Mosher, Jr. passed away peacefully January 7, 2020. He was born in Hot Springs, South Dakota, March 19, 1921. He was the oldest of four, Art, Joyce and Wayne, all previously deceased. Along with his mother, Martha, and his father, George Sr., he lived with his siblings on 160 land-grant acres. The property was barren and difficult to farm, thus they raised cattle. The family dwelling was small and simple with two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a gathering room. There was no electricity or running water. Adjacent to the property sat a one room schoolhouse that George attended through Grade 8.

As with most, the Depression forced the family into despair. They packed up a truck and trailer, moved often, finally settling in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. Through fortitude and aspiration, George was the first in his family to get a higher education. He earned a degree in History at the University of Oregon.

In 1941, with the attack on Pearl Harbor, George's life purpose was altered. He set aside his dreams and immediately enlisted in WWII. George served as an officer in the Navy, seeing action in the South Pacific.

Upon conclusion of the war, George received his Law degree from Columbia University. On a visit back to Oregon, he met Doris, a woman he dated three times and decided he'd marry. Shortly after, he traveled back from New York to take her away from her job, family and friends in Oregon. The rest was history. George and Doris were inseparable for 57 years. While in New York, George found employment with a prestigious law firm. His first case was a dispute between two comic book characters, Captain Marvel vs. Superman. The argument on the table was that there could only be one superhero! The case eventually went to the Supreme Court.

In 1954, George was recruited by General Motors in Detroit. George went on to lead General Motors Copyright/Trademark Department, filling law journals with first-time cases. filling law journals with first-time cases. His inaugural project was securing the Corvette name. George retired from General Motors at the age of 65, and joined the law firm Brooks Kushman where he retired at the age of 95.

In 1964, Oakland Community College was conceived in George's living room. Doris, the motivator and campaign chairman, and George, the visionary and inspiration, gathered a few others to start what would become one of the most significant community colleges in the country. The vision was big: five campuses out the gate. Doris spread the word. George, a quiet leader, met with hundreds of stakeholders and influencers, listening, revising, and persuading. George went on to serve as a Member of the Board for 12 years, serving 6 years as Chairman. Oakland Community College recently celebrated 50 years, having enrolled over a million students, positively changing the trajectory of countless lives.

Along with a life of serving, working, and giving, perhaps George's greatest gift was his love and time for family. George's wife, Doris, preceded him in death. He is survived by his sons George (Joan) and Doyle (Cindi), grandchildren Michael (Amy), Jodi (Chris), Matt (Jackie) and Lindsay (Willie), great-grandchildren Julian, Aiden, Ash, Lonia, George, Connor and Madison, and brother-in-law Doyle (Joan) Dodge.

Respects will be 4:00-8:00pm, Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Home, 32515 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, MI, 48073. A private military burial will take place at Great Lakes National Cemetery in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Doris & George Endowed Scholarship Fund at Oakland Community College, https://tinyurl.com/Mosher-Tribute. View obituary and share memories at AJDesmond.com.