George Arthur Maness

1932 - 2015

George Arthur Maness

July 10, 1932 - August 24, 2015

Tulare

George Arthur Maness Jr. was born to George Arthur Maness Sr. and Ada Maness on July 10, 1932. They moved to Southern California where his father became a Merchant Marine during WWII. After his mother died and before he was a teenager he hitchhiked from Southern California to Mancos, Colorado to live with his aunt Mary. It was there he met his lifelong sweetheart Joan Jensen. After high school and some other work George joined the U.S. Air Force and on March 5, 1951 in Aurora Colorado George and his sweetheart Joan were married. In April after their first year of marriage their first child, Richard, was born. In that same month George was part of an Air Force Crew that flew through the "Mushroom Cloud" of a nuclear explosion. The effects of the radiation would have an affect on the rest of his life and the lives of his immediate family. By late 1953 there were twins, but they died shortly after birth of complications possibly related to George's radiation exposure and Joan had contracted a severe case of Polio. Joan was placed in an Iron Lung and was not expected to live or at best ever walk again. However, Faith and determination won out and Joan recovered to have a remarkable life. In 1954 George was pushed into a "Hardship (Honorable) Discharge" by the US Air Force so the government could avoid the costs of Joan's illness and the consequences of George's radiation exposure. Joan's recovery was so strong that they decided to try for more children. David was born in May of 1955 and George III was born in April of 1957. David was diagnosed with "Leukemia" (also possibly related to George's radiation exposure in the U. S. Air Force) in 1959. After a long fight to beat the cancer, including bi-weekly two hundred mile round trip drives from Grants to Albuquerque, on a long open stretch in the high desert of New Mexico for medical treatments and shortly after his fifth birthday in May 1960 David lost his battle and died. George III also died in September of 1998 from a hard fought battle with Cancer (again possibly related to George's exposure to radiation by the U.S. Air Force).

After discharge George used his G. I. Bill to start college at Western State in Colorado. During this time George worked many jobs to care for his family and get his college degree. After receiving his Degree and Teaching Credentials George started looking for the star to his career in education. While Joan, and yet unborn son, Greg, stayed in Albuquerque New Mexico with her mother, George took the oldest son, Richard, to California. In the summer of 1960 George was hired by Tulare Union High School and as soon as Joan and the newest family member, Greg could travel, George brought them to Tulare.

At Tulare Union High School George started as a History Teacher Counselor and Coach/Trainer. He also commanded the California Cadet Corps unit at TUHS and taught driver education. While at TUHS he advanced to Boys Dean and then to Vice-Principal. George was a dedicated educator. He sponsored the "Fe En Mañana Club" and was active in the lives of many students. While still a young man in his mid forties George had to have open-heart surgery (again probably related to his being an "ATOMIC VET"). It was not long before he was medically retired and his life changed direction. Dad was appointed to the California State Veterans Board and became even more involved in the treatment of veterans. Together with Manual Toledo a membership drive was started for the local AMVETS chapter that made them the largest chapter in the state and one of the largest in the country. George served as State Commander for AMVETS in California. He was also a member of DAV, American Legion, Tulare County Suicide Prevention Task Force, Workforce Investment Board, and Veteran's Opportunity Day in Tulare and often gave rides to veterans who needed rides to the Fresno VA Hospital for appointments. George had four separate open-heart surgeries, more than anyone else in the US. Despite all the effort he put into helping other veterans George only recently filed a claim for himself relating to his exposure to radiation in the "Mushroom Cloud" his unit was ordered to fly through and has been stonewalled by the VA even though "Atomic Vets are supposed to be a priority. In addition to veterans organizations George was involved in Boys State, a member of the Lions Club, the Elks Lodge. My apologies if I have left anything or anyone out.

George Arthur Maness is survived by two (out of six) living sons: Richard Stanley Maness with wife Carol Maness and Gregory Allen Maness; Daughter in law (George III's widow): Gina Maness; sisters in Law: Madelyn Halper and Jackie Hume; grandchildren: David Morgan Maness II with his wife Cristina, Shelley Raelene Maness, George Arthur Maness IV with his wife Natalie, Dane Maness with his wife Tauni, Richard Stanley Maness Jr. with his wife Abby, Sean Michael Maness, Ryan Maness, Kylie Rose Maness, Ian Maness, Jensen Maness; great-grandchildren: Mary Jane Maness, Issabella Maness, Katherine Maness, Jessica Saenz, Joshua Saenz, Jasper Saenz, Tanner Maness and George Arthur Maness V.

There is so much to George's life that it was virtually impossible to cover it all. Please forgive any missing details and know that it was not intentional.

There will be a viewing from 12:00 to 8:00 pm on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 at the Peers Lorentzen Funeral Chapel, 132 W kern Ave., and a Rosary/Mass Combo at 10:30 on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at St Aloysius Catholic Church, 125 E Pleasant Ave, Tulare. Funeral Arrangements by Peers Lorentzen Funeral Service, Tulare.