George Charles Dehne

I just want to express how very much I appreciate the numerous reflections on George´s professional contributions and sense of humor.

Thank you all also for the trees that have been planted in his memory.
He greatly appreciated life among the Live Oaks here in the Lowcountry as well as the forests of the Pocono Mountains. After assisting a number of academic institutions in getting "out of the woods," I trust that he now finds time to enjoy being "in the woods" wherever he is strolling.

His impact on higher education was clearly a tour de force. He saw not simply what was, but what could be, whether in academic institutions and associations, clients, or colleagues. He had perpetual faith in others for what could be accomplished.

George always felt that close enough was good enough, and ironically, his close enough always surpassed good enough. He managed to exceed expectations personally and professionally. He was never late, always early, and departed this life a little ahead of schedule. In good humor until the very end, his final request was, "Do we have any ribs?"

There will never be another you, George, for so many, and especially for me.

George was a friend, mentor, creator, inspiration, and cause of some of the hardest and longest laughs I´ve ever had. George will be missed.

I first met George when I was four when he and my dad were at Carleton College. George recruited my dad, Dick Steele, to be Dean of Admissions. Under the leadership of then Carleton President Bob Edwards, George, David Brodigan, and my dad built something new by applying market research to Carleton´s student recruitment strategy and helped grow Carleton´s reputation nationally. While my dad (always a glutton for punishment) continued on in college admissions at Duke and Bowdoin, George launched his career consulting with hundreds of colleges conducting market research and consulting in student recruitment, fundraising, and repositioning. George´s creativity in refining a college's messaging and capturing an institution´s greatest strengths and unique characteristics was unparalleled. More than that, George´s infectious sense of humor saturated everything he did.

Early in my career, I found myself working for George and Topher Small in the newly expanded GDA Integrated Services. With Topher´s admissions and student recruitment background and George´s creative approach to marketing, GDA took off, and I was lucky enough to go along for the ride for 18 amazing years and got to work with some of the best, brightest, and funniest colleagues in higher education.

Love to Joan, Charlie, Katie, and all the Dehnes.

As a classmate at Germantown Friends School, I always think of George as smiling, making us all laugh and urging is onward with joy no matter what the occasion. I am very impressed to read how he continued his life and am not surprised. So glad I had the chance to know him. Thinking of all his family with sympathy. Suzy Spaeth Marinell