George Ove Walsh

George Ove Walsh, 84, of Shoreline, passed away Oct. 28, 2014, surrounded by his family. He was born July 15, 1930, in Ross, Calif., the only child of George Harold Walsh and Minnie Woie Walsh. He was 4 years old when his parents divorced, after which Minnie and George junior moved back to the family farm in Clifford, N.D.
George had many happy memories of life on the farm with his grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousin Rhoda, who was like a sister to him.

He and his mother later moved to Spokane, where Minnie worked as a private duty nurse and George assumed many adult responsibilities as the only child of a single mother during World War II, supplementing their income by collecting cans and bottles, hunting, and developing a lifelong love of fishing. During the war he learned to identify airplanes overhead, a habit he never lost.

He graduated from Lewis and Clark High School in 1948, attended Gonzaga University for one year, and then enlisted in the Navy during the Korean Conflict from 1950-1954. He obtained the rank of petty officer, second class, working as a radarman on a troop transport.

An appreciation of boats and harbors stayed with him the rest of his life.

George and Christine Quickert began dating during his shore leave in San Francisco, and they married on Aug. 28, 1954, only two weeks after his discharge from the Navy.

George and Christine began married life in Pullman, Wash., where they had their first child, Lyle. George received his teaching credentials from Washington State College in 1957. He later received a master’s in education from the University of Washington.

The family moved to the Northridge neighborhood of Seattle, where Lynnette was born the day before George began his first teaching job.

Construction began on the family’s home in Edmonds in 1964, and the family moved in shortly before the youngest child, Laurelle, was born.

George worked a second job at Standard Oil on Aurora Avenue for the first seven years of his teaching career. He worked summers as a machinist and a house painter. George was a self-taught handyman and shade-tree mechanic who, when he wasn’t teaching, seemed to be constantly occupied maintaining the family’s cars, house and yard.

George taught his children never to leave the dining table empty-handed; always do their chores before playing; and to take responsibility for their schoolwork and their actions.

He was a founding board member of St. Peter by the Sea Lutheran Church in Edmonds, where he also taught Sunday School.

George taught social studies in the Shoreline School District for 33 years, at Cordell Hull Junior High, Einstein Junior High and finally Shorewood High School.

As a teacher he was beloved by both students and colleagues, and maintained long relationships with many. He was passionate about current events, and specialized in teaching contemporary world problems.

George traveled to Egypt in 1978 along with 18 other American social studies teachers in order to develop a curriculum on the Middle East. The teachers were invited to the presidential palace, where they met with first lady Jehan Sadat instead of Anwar Sadat who, unbeknownst to them, was attending the Camp David peace accords.

At Shorewood, George also coached Hi-Q, refereed basketball and taught drivers education. He acted as senior class advisor and was regularly voted “teacher of the year” by the senior class.

George retired from teaching in 1990, after which he and Christine traveled widely in their RV, spending many seasons “snowbirding” in Arizona and California, and touring the United States. They also enjoyed several sea cruises until health problems no longer permitted it.

George attended every sporting event his grandsons participated in, rain or shine. He was their No. 1 fan.

George is survived by his wife of 60 years, Christine Walsh; son Lyle (Ann) Walsh of Charleston, S.C.; daughters Lynnette (Rory) Callahan of Edmonds and Laurelle (Frank Vander Wall) Walsh of Winthrop, Wash.; and grandchildren Leorah (Ted Brzinski) Walsh, Talor Walsh, Shaun Callahan and Derek Callahan. A private graveside service will be held at the Edmonds Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9 – http://kcts9.org/support – in honor of George’s long devotion to public television.