George J. Bender

February 22, 1932 - March 30, 2020 George John Bender was born in Bellflower, CA to John and Marie Bender who immigrated from the Netherlands in 1917. They settled in Venice, CA where George and his four siblings were raised. George met his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Shirley Morris, at Venice High School, where they both graduated in the class of 1950. They were married in 1952, and after living in Hawthorne, CA they moved to Rancho Palos Verdes in 1963 and raised their four children. George was a good son, brother, husband, father, friend, and neighbor. He took great pride in serving his country in the Air Force during the Korean War, working as a Firefighter for the Los Angeles Fire Department for thirty-one years, and establishing George Bender Plumbing in 1958. George enjoyed being an active member of the Palos Verdes Community by helping the Las Candalistas, serving on the Board of the Peninsula Symphony, and was a trained CERT volunteer. Throughout his life, George enjoyed various physical activities, fishing, boating, scuba diving, water skiing, running marathons, playing tennis, and hiking, to name a few. He hiked Mount Whitney, and in August 2006, he hiked to the top of Yosemite's Half Dome. One of his greatest joys was hiking the trails, cliffs and shores of Palos Verdes, he truly loved and appreciated the natural beauty that surrounded him. After Shirley's passing in 2004, George's 'neighborhood family' was his special family! They walked together every day, they loved spending time together, and they loved, cared for, and looked out for one another! George had been in declining health over the past couple of months, and unfortunately, in the end, was compromised by the COVID19 virus. George passed peacefully, knowing he was loved, admired, and appreciated. He is predeceased by his wife, Shirley, and his daughter, Debbie. He is survived by his youngest sister, three of his children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.