George Bernard Wall Sr.

George Bernard Wall, Sr., age 100, of The Woodlands, TX, passed away December 23, 2024. He was born May 22, 1924, in San Antonio, TX. He married Christene Hart of Calvert, TX, in 1950. They moved to Rockdale, TX, in 1953 and made it their home for 65 years. In 2018 they relocated to The Woodlands to be closer to two of their children, Keith and Diane.
George was born and lived in San Antonio until the outbreak of World War II. In 1938, after completing the 8th grade at age 14, he started working full-time loading milk trucks for Dairyland Creamery to help support his mother, Ima Lucille Dins. His pay was one dollar per day. Upon obtaining a driver's license, George received his own milk route. He worked with the milk company until 1941 – when Uncle Sam called.
As a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, George was drafted into the US Navy. Most of his service was in the Pacific Theater. After completing boot camp in San Diego, he was assigned to the USS Barnes, a 600-foot aircraft carrier also called a baby flat top. Being raised in the city, this was the first time he had seen the ocean much less ships the size of the Barnes. George recalled the first time he saw the ship was early morning, and he thought it was a very tall building. He was amazed at the size of his new home. He first sailed from San Francisco to Panama Island, Indonesia, where war planes were dropped off for sailors going to Australia. As Seaman 1st Class, this sailor then sailed to Pearl Harbor where he viewed the sunken USS Arizona. After a two-month stint at Pearl Harbor, he was sent to Guam, where he then applied and was selected for duty as Quarter Master 3rd Class. His duty was to stand watch on the ship's bridge next to the Captain, assisting in duties related to ship control, navigation and bridge watch with 4 hours on and 8 hours off. Later assigned to the aircraft carrier the USS Ranger, he was promoted to Quarter Master 2nd Class. The Ranger launched planes into battle areas, and George, at the age of 20, had a bird's eye view from his post on the ship's bridge. His military service concluded on the Isle of Hawaii Kaneohe Bay Naval Air Station after the Atomic Bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945. He received a Battle Ribbon citation for service and was honorably discharged the following December.
After his discharge from the military, George returned home to San Antonio where he attended and received his associate's degree from San Antonio College on the GI Bill. During this time, he was admitted to Brooks General Military Hospital for medical care. George shared a hospital room with Army Veteran Don Hart, whose sister would come to visit. It was here that he met the love of his life and his future wife for 74 years, Christene (Chris) Hart. Married August 26, 1950, George and Chris would move to Waco, TX, in 1951 for George to attend Baylor University and obtain his BS Degree in Accounting. A significant accomplishment for someone who did not attend high school! After graduation in 1953, he accepted an accounting position with Aluminum Company of America (ALOCA), a newly formed company in Rockdale. He worked there for 20 years before accepting an accounting position with the State of Texas in Austin.
George and Chris raised their family in Rockdale where they resided for over 64 years. He was active in his community serving as a founding member of the Rockdale Country Club and as its first club treasurer during the 1960s. George was an active member of St. John's United Methodist Church for over 60 years and at times held the position of church treasurer. He supported his community with service in the Lions Club and as bookkeeper for Rockdale's youth sports groups. He participated and fully supported his children's many school and sport activities.
George is preceded in death by his wife, Christene Wall. He is survived by his three children: George Jr., (Martha) of Devine; Keith (Missy) of Huntsville; and Diane Galownia (Paul) of Conroe; nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers are David Wall, Konnor Wall, Kasey Wall, Brandon Galownia, Trevor Galownia, and Lance Aldridge. Honorary Pallbearers are Monroe Jungmann, Joe Kinder, Billy Hart, Alejandro Torres, Richard Torres, Raymond Torres, and Commander Clay Johnson USN.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Phillips and Luckey Funeral Home on Friday, January 17, 2025, with visitation starting at 11 AM and the funeral to follow at noon. Burial will be at Nesbitt Cemetery, 2649 Rose Hill Road, Bremond, TX 76620, at 2 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. John's United Methodist Church in Rockdale, TX or a charity of your choice.
The Wall Family would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to the many caregivers with Doctor's Choice Hospice and the wonderful nurses, CNA's, and staff at The Village at Woodlands Waterway where George and Chris resided. Their professional care and love for our parents is sincerely appreciated.