George Frederick Stovall
August 7, 1924 - February 20, 2017
George Frederick Stovall was born August 7, 1924 in Vancouver, Canada, the second child of Frank Stovall and Edith May Hosking.  George had three sisters; Edith, Frances and Careen.  The family moved to the Stovall homestead on Woods Creek in the fall of 1924.  George attended the one room Woods Creek School for one year until it mysteriously burned down.  He was then bussed to the Philomath schools and graduated from high school in May 1943.
He had previously joined the Army Air Force in April, so his diploma was awarded in his absence.  George was an armored gunner on a flying fortress B-17, flying 50 missions as a ball turret gunner over the Ploesti oil fields, Budapest, Vienna, and many targets in Germany.  While stationed at Lowery field in Denver after returning from overseas, George met Lorene Lundin who was working at the Post Exchange.  Romance soon followed and they were married on May 1, 1945.  This union gave the couple four children; Sheryl, George Jr., Linda and Randy.
After he was honorably discharged from the Air Corps, George enrolled at the University of Oregon for two years.  He then transferred to the University of Denver, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in history in August, 1948.  After graduation, George and Lorene lived for a year in Salt Lake City where George worked for the Kool Breeze Awning Company.  HE then spent a year working for Zimmerhackel Venetian Blind Company in Denver.  In June 1950, the family moved to Eugene, OR and bought a home so that George could work on earning his Master's degree in history and earn his teaching certificate.  However, no teaching jobs were open in his field so George sold real estate in Eugene.
After nine years of marriage, George and Lorene divorced on friendly terms.  George was given custody of the children in June, July and August.
In the spring of 1955, George met Marion Erickson and romance again blossomed which led to a wonderful 54-year partnership.  They were married in Elko, Nevada on December 26, 1955.  While dating Marion, George took his first teaching position with the Dayville, Oregon schools.  George finished his course work in history and education at the University of Oregon and received his Master's degree on June 7, 1957.
George's teaching career produced many opportunities.  He taught one year at Yamhill elementary school, spent three years as a principal/superintendent of Eagle Valley Schools in Richland, OR, three more years as a principal/superintendent of Santiam High school in Mill City, five years as chief school administrator of the Siletz schools, and finished as the social science coordinator for the Toledo High school from 1970 - 1972.  George then retired from teaching duties and Marion quit her job as executive secretary for the city manager of Newport.  The couple then bought an 80-acre farm in Kings Valley with a grand turn-of-the-century historic home.  They lived here for 28 years and raised sheep.  In 2000, they moved to their present home on Lawndale Place in Corvallis and made the gardener's delight out of their backyard.
Over the years, George was very active in civic affairs.   George was appointed to the Lincoln County planning commission in Newport from 1963 - 1972, served 8 years on the Philomath school board while living in Kings Valley, and spent 5 years as chairman on the local planning committee.
He was also involved in many real estate ventures as well as planning and developing various sub-divisions, mobile home parks, RV parks and campgrounds around Oregon.  Most notably include the subdivision at Seal Rock (now called Makai), Sherwood Gardens 65 lot mobile home subdivision in Sweet Home, Skyline Terrace in Toledo, Camp Simtustus behind Pelton Dam in Madras, and Whales Head RV park at Brookings, OR.
George and Marion were heavily involved with George's WW2 Air Corps Bomber Group, the 483rd Bomb Group.  The members of this group have met every year since 1979 and George was their publicity director the entire time.  George and Marion planned reunions for Seattle, WA in 1996, Savannah, GA in 2002, Washington DC in 2006, St. Charles/St. Louis in 2008, and finally Rapid City, SD in 2010.
George and Marion found time each summer when George had the kids to travel and camp extensively all over the west.  Name a national park or monument, and they probably went there.  After the kids grew up, George and Marion continued travelling each year, spending time in over 40 states.  George kept his allegiance to the University of Oregon in sports, going to Autzen stadium for football games and Matt Knight Arena for basketball, and also belonged to the President's Association at U of O.  His close connection with the 483rd Bomb Group as Publicity Director and Reunion Chairman kept him going for the remainder of his years.  George was a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge 1205 in Newport as well as the American Legion Post 100 in Philomath and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 684 in Albany.
George is preceded in death by his wife Marion, daughter Linda Dyche, and granddaughter Andrea Maier.
George is survived by his children Sheryl Norton, George Stovall Jr., and Randy Stovall; grandchildren Wendy Goodrich, Jessica Norton, Nathan Norton, Tyla Stovall and Christine Stovall; and 10 great-grandchildren.