Dr. George Richard Clerihew

1929 - 2025

Dr. George Richard Clerihew, 95, passed away on February 21, 2025, in Denton, Texas.

He was born on April 1, 1929, in Antelope, Texas (Jack County), to Arthur and Claudia  Alford Clerihew.

At the age of 16, George earned his pilot's license, a passion that led him to serve in the  U.S. Air Force during World War II. He spent two years flying during the Berlin Blockade  in Germany. After his military service, George went on to own an appliance store before  transitioning to regional sales manager at Westinghouse Electric Corporation. His love  for aviation called him back, and he became a corporate pilot, flying for celebrities and  business executives. He later served as Vice President of King Flight Services in  Wichita Falls, Texas.

George was a proud graduate of William Carey University, Southwestern Baptist  Theological Seminary, and earned his Doctor of Divinity degree from Southern Bible  Seminary. In 1966, he was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister and served as  pastor in churches in Columbus, Ohio, and Hattiesburg, Mississippi, before returning to  Texas. He pastored several churches in Texas, including First Baptist Church in Sanger,  North Irving Baptist Church, First Baptist Church in Grapevine, and Highland Baptist  Church in Denton. He also served as Director of Missions for the Denton Baptist  Association before retiring.

In addition to his ministry work, George was an entrepreneur. He opened two small  businesses: Clerihew Men's Clothing Store in Grapevine and Golf By George in Denton,  where he built custom golf clubs--a hobby that grew into a business.

George's passions were many. He was an avid golfer, winning several tournaments and  recording multiple hole-in-ones. He also loved shooting and won numerous skeet  shooting tournaments. His enthusiasm for both golf and shooting remained strong well  into his 90s. George was a longtime member of the Denton Country Club and North  Texas Shooters Association. He was also a Master Mason and a member of Bolivar Masonic  Lodge #418.

George was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife of 57 years, Vera Lois  Clerihew, his brother Walter "Corky", son-in-law Hal Ostrander, and his second wife of  14 years, Gail Curry Clerihew.

He is survived by his three children: Carla Ostrander, Claudia Clerihew, and George  Clerihew II and his wife Toni; eight grandchildren: Alison Santos and her husband  Denis, Mark Ostrander and his wife Melissa, Sara Schwartz and her husband Nick,  Andrea Ostrander, Brian Burke and his wife Jackie Kelley, Breann Burke, Jacob  Clerihew, and Alex Clerihew; and six great-grandchildren: Jackson, Aiden, and Max  Ostrander, Chloe and William McNeely and Walker William Burke.

Visitation for George is 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at Coker Funeral Home in Sanger. Funeral service will begin at 11:00 am at the First Baptist Church in Sanger. Grant Bowles will officiate the service.  George Clerihew, Alex Clerihew, Brian Burke, Denis Santos, Jake Clerihew, Bill Bryant will serve as pallbearers.

Please offer condolences to the Clerihew Family at www.cokerfuneralhome.com.