George William Taber

George W. Taber passed away peacefully on November 18, 2024, following complications from major surgery. He was eighty-one and had been living in San Antonio, FL with his wife of thirty-eight years, Carolyn E. Taber.

Born in Ithaca NY on April 16, 1943, George was the eldest child of Sue Marie Garzarella Taber and Richard Henry Taber, Sr. The first thing many people noticed about George was his height - he entered the world two feet tall and reached over six-foot-five when he enlisted in the Marine Corps - yet the enduring impression he leaves behind is of his kind blue eyes and gentle heart.

George was proud of his connections to Cornell University and dedicated to the ideals of higher education, though, as a rookie campus police officer he learned the complexities of those ideals in real-time during the 1969 takeover of Willard Straight Hall. His telling of his experience is on Cornell's website: https://bit.ly/4eRcEdY. George pursued his own education while working full time with Cornell's Public Safety Division, devoting countless hours to night school at TC3, and earning an associate's degree in criminal justice. A fair-minded, curious, fun loving, and well-read man, George worked his way up to lieutenant rank and manager, where one of his favorite perks was ditching his uniform in favor of a silk shirt and a Jerry Garcia tie. Later in his forty-three-year career at Cornell, George joined Community Relations, a role that aligned with his identity as a community ambassador and enabled his engagement and advocacy as a trustee over many years for the Hangar Theatre and Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI).

An overarching passion for George was his involvement with Cornell Men's Ice Hockey, where he volunteered for the better part of four decades as an off-ice official. Progressing in responsibilities from goal judge to overseeing the penalty box, then the penalty clock, and, finally, as the official timekeeper, George "Mr. Timekeeper" Taber was all-in for Cornell hockey, from warmups to afterglows. He also held leadership positions in the Cornell Hockey Association, of which he is a lifetime member. He treasured his friendships with fellow hockey volunteers, staff, coaches, parents, and players - two of whom, poetically, are his wife, Carolyn, and son, Christopher.

Known affectionately as GPG, Grandpa George, Papa George, Georgio, and Papa GG, being a grandpa was nothing less than a calling for George. He loved connecting with his family and friends through the enjoyment of live music, theater, and sports. George and Carolyn also kayaked throughout the Finger Lakes and felt fortunate to travel together with family to many places in the world.

George is survived and will be forever in the hearts of his wife, Carolyn, his four children: Betsy Taber (Andrew) Magré, Bonnie Jo Taber (Michael) Amato, Michelle (Tom) Armstrong, and Christopher (Christina) Norton; seven grandchildren: Willem Taber Magré, Marina Taber Magré, Tatum Sophia Taber Amato, Calum (Dee) Kendrick, Wade Kendrick, Ellie Armstrong, and Caroline Norton; and great-grandchild Myles Kendrick. George is also survived by his brother Joseph (Vicki) Taber, sister Maria (Bob) Albert, niece Eliza Beth Albert, Betsy and Bonnie's mom Marge Taber Hovanec, and dear family in Scranton, PA. He was predeceased by his brother Richard Henry Taber, Jr.

An "Afterglow" celebration of George's well-lived life is being planned in Ithaca. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of George to Cornell Men's Ice Hockey: https://bit.ly/3B2ObES or the Hangar Theatre: https://bit.ly/3B96vfp