GEORGE J. SEARS

SEARS GEORGE JOSEPH SEARS Joe passed away on Sunday, November 1, 2015, of cancer at his home in Potomac, MD, surrounded by his family. Born on April 3, 1935, in Honolulu, Hawaii, the son of the late Vice Admiral Harry E. Sears and Gladys Mase Sears. Beloved husband of Margaret Smith Sears for 41 years; father of Scott K. Sears (Edie) of St. Louis, MO; grandfather of Christopher, Sienna, Sophia, and Charles Joseph. He is survived by his sister, Mary Jane Parks (William) and his brothers, H. Edward Sears, Jr. (Charlotte) and John W. Sears, all of Chevy Chase, MD, and many loving nieces and nephews. He graduated from the Landon School in Bethesda, MD, in 1954. He was President of his class for several years and was an All Metropolitan soccer player and Captain of the track team. He graduated with a BA from Yale University in 1958, where he majored in History. He played golf and soccer there and participated in track and swimming. He was a member of Zeta Psi and Book and Snake. He then graduated from the US Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI, and the Naval Justice School. He served as Officer of the Deck Underway on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was later Assistant Director of the U.S. Navy Language School in Washington, DC. His marriage to Tove Martin ended in divorce. He received his MBA from George Washington University in 1973. He joined C& P Telephone (later Bell Atlantic and Verizon) in 1963 and served in several positions including Operator Services and Treasury. He was a Loaned Executive to the United Way. During the administration of Ronald Reagan, he served in the White House Liaison Office for the National Alliance of Business, where he focused on the Summer Jobs for Youth program. He retired from C&P in 1989, after 26 years of service. He then worked as a realtor with Long & Foster. Joe was President of the Yale Club of Washington, DC for two terms. He had a lifelong commitment to the university, serving as a fundraiser and as his Class Agent and member of the Class Council. He was a member of the Army Navy Club and the Metropolitan Club. An avid golfer, he also joined Pinehurst Country Club in NC and Imperial in Naples, FL. He was a 50 year member of the Chevy Chase Club and also held membership at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, and the Yale Club of New York. A memorial service will be held at National Presbyterian Church, 4101 Nebraska Ave, NW, Washington, DC on Wednesday, November 18 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to the National Presbyterian Church. Please view and sign the family guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com