George Simon

12/01/1922 - 07/16/2009

SIMON, George L. (Age 86) George, who entered the Heavenly Kingdom on July 16, 2009, was born December 1, 1922 in Miskolc, Hungary. When World War II ravaged Europe he was excused from serving in the military because he was a top student at the Metallurgical College he attended. When after the war the communists came into power in Hungary, George fled his beloved home country in 1946 to seek freedom elsewhere. He spent a number of years in refugee camps throughout Germany until he found a room in Heidelberg where he studied theology. All this time he waited for his visa to be admitted to the United States. The Lutheran World Federation sponsored him and in January of 1951 he reached the coast of freedom. He became a U.S. citizen five years later changing his name from Szepcsik to Simon. Besides studying the English language, George continued his engineering studies so that his professional life over the years spanned into civil engineering, aerospace engineering, ending his career as chief of maintenance at the Grand Coulee Dam. While working at Boeing, the family lived in Bellevue where George was very active in community affairs. His love for soccer inspired him to start the Junior Soccer League in Bellevue, coaching his team to win the Washington State championship. One of his team members even became a professional football player (kicker). George was a lifelong active member of the Lutheran church. He also was a member of the Lyons Club in Bellevue, Rotary and Toastmaster clubs in Grand Coulee. When he retired from the Bureau of Reclamation in 1987, he moved to the Spokane Valley where he enjoyed playing golf, bowling andduplicate bridge for a number of years. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Eleanor; and two sons, George B. and wife, Marla of Spokane Valley, Rick P. and wife, Kim of Richland, WA; one granddaughter, Laura Cox and grandsons, Mike and Jeff. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at 11:00 A.M. at Gethsemane Lutheran Church, 11315 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley with Pastor Robert List officiating. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Spokane or Gethsemane Lutheran Church.