GEORGE McVay

George E. McVay, 75
Faithful public servant and beloved husband and father
George Edward McVay died on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016, at age 75. Born in Huguenot in 1941, he was the only son of George and Flora McVay. A graduate of Tottenville High School, Mr. McVay went on to obtain his undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College and later received his Juris Doctor from St. John's Law School. On June 19, 1965, George married his wife of 52 years, Primrose Lea, at the Reformed Church of Huguenot Park. At the time of his death, he was the longest attending parishioner of the Huguenot Reformed Church and an active member, ordained elder and former president of the New York Classis.
After admission to the bar in 1965, Mr. McVay went into private practice with fellow Staten Islander Arthur Selznick. Beginning in the late 1960's, Mr. McVay conducted research leading to a pivotal legal precedent ensuring equal educational access and opportunities for special needs children in the New York public school system.
Around this time, George also achieved the rank of captain in the New York State National Guard, serving as Adjutant of the 101st Cavalry. Mr. McVay became an assistant district attorney for Staten Island from 1972 to 1986, where he served in Central Narcotics Court and was chief of the Appeals Bureau of Richmond County. From 1986 to 1990 he served as the law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Thomas R. Sullivan.
In 1990 Mr. McVay re-entered private practice on Staten Island, joining the firm of Corash and Hollander, P.C., where he specialized in general law and elder care. Although George was a born counselor and advocate, he was not immediately drawn to legal work, but in elder care law he perfected his most profound professional gift, that of aiding and advising those faced with the often difficult, traumatic, and unavoidable actions that accompany end-of-life decisions.
Mr. McVay's dedication to service was key not only to his career but also to his work in the Masons, the South Shore Rotary and as a volunteer at Project Hospitality.
A lifelong Democrat, George's unwavering commitment to equal treatment for all under the protection of law was rooted in the defining features of his character: uncontrived kindness and respect for others.
Mr. McVay was an avid reader and student of history with a particular passion for maps. Upon his retirement in 2006, George was able to visit several countries he had long pored over in the pages of his atlas, notably Scotland, China and Turkey.
Many of his happiest moments were spent among family and friends in the Adirondacks, where he enjoyed hiking, boating, fishing and woodworking. George never failed to appreciate the beauty in everyday interaction - the laughter and interests of his grandchildren, a silly joke or serious conversation shared with his children, the color and warmth of a quilt or savory meal made by his wife. He believed, like his mother and father before him, in the quiet, sincere efforts that individuals made towards a greater common good for everyone, regardless of their race, color, creed, gender, or national origin. May we live and work by his loving example.
George McVay is survived by his wife Primrose; his son Nathanael, daughter-in-law Meghan and their children, Griffin, Declan and Maeve; his daughter Flora and son-in-law Cemil; his sister-in-law Virginia Peters, and several dear nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to either of the charitable organizations whose work was most admired and supported by Mr. McVay: Southern Poverty Law, donate.splcenter.org, or City Harvest, cityharvest.org/donate-funds/honorary-memoriaI-gifts.
Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home
7447 Amboy Rd.
Staten Island, NY 10307
(718) 984-0913