Mr. George Beatty Brothers, of Assawoman, passed away on Dec. 20, 2024, at his residence. He was 90 years old.
Born in Battlesburg, Ohio, on July 15, 1934, to the late Beatty Whitacre Brothers and Isabel Blanche Brothers (Klotz), George spent his childhood on Willowbend Farm, his family home.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in education with a concentration in chemistry at The Ohio State University in 1956 and taught high school chemistry for seven years at Lincoln High School in Canton, Ohio. He later completed a National Science Foundation Fellowship in Chemistry and Physics at American University and earned his master of education degree at the University of Virginia.
During his last semester at Ohio State, George’s sister introduced him to her friend and classmate, Emily. George and Emily were placed beside one another during a group trip to Cleveland and he was so “impressed” (his words), that he began writing to her weekly. During a date at the Franklin County Fair, George won a carnival game and asked Emily to select the prize. She chose a small clown figurine to represent George’s playful wit and cheerful demeanor. They were wed at his home church, Malvern United Methodist, in September 1957 and were happily married for 62 years.
In 1964, George was offered a teaching position with University of Virginia Eastern Shore Branch Campus adjacent to NASA Wallops Station along with the opportunity to establish an in-house analytical chemistry lab at Wallops Station. Later, through his company Chemal, George worked as a contractor for NASA and was responsible for preparing, calibrating, and analyzing data from the lab’s balloon- borne ozone monitoring system, routine rocket fuel component analyses, and numerous other projects.
George’s research took him around the world and he completed scientific studies on the Earth’s ozone in Europe, South America, Africa, the Shetland Islands, Ascension Island, and Antarctica. In 2018, he earned special recognition from NASA for his 40-plus years of research on the Earth’s ozone.
Beyond his scientific pursuits, George loved spending time outdoors and enjoyed excursions as a troop leader with the Boy Scouts, riding horses with his granddaughter, and spending time fiddling and fixing things out in his barn. George single-handedly nurtured a sprawling garden, growing strawberries, sweet corn, beans, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables that were greatly enjoyed by his family and friends. He also had a small farm, Quaker Ridge Farm, in Ohio, where he grew and sold potatoes for many years.
George was a talented musician. As a child, he learned to play multiple instruments and had many happy memories of singing with his siblings. He joined his first church choir as a child and continued to use his voice in various choirs until the last year of his life. He coached his granddaughter with her first piano lessons and could effortlessly read music and sing a hymn’s harmonies during Sunday church services. He was also a dedicated member of the Eastern Shore Madrigal Singers for nearly 40 years. He was a tenor and donated his time to build, move, and store sets for the group’s annual Christmas and spring productions.
Most importantly, George was a devout follower of Christ and a dedicated member of Atlantic United Methodist Church. He served as the church choir director for over 40 years and was an active volunteer in the church’s Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. He was also a member of the Eastern Shore Emmaus Community and completed many Emmaus Walks at Camp Occohannock on the Bay.
In addition to his parents and first wife, Emily, George is reunited in heaven with his brother, John, and sister, Barbara.
He is survived by his second wife, Janice Revell Brothers; his children, Paul Brothers (Anna), of Hallwood, and Betsy Miles (Kent), of Parksley; his grandchildren, Sara Blevins (Randy), of Assawoman, and Mary Miles (Matt Redinger), of Baltimore; his great-grandchildren, Raleigh Isabel and Remilee Beatty Blevins; his beloved animals, Maggie, Timmy, Peaches, and Sunshine; and several cousins, nephews, nieces, and other family members.
A celebration of George’s life will be conducted at Atlantic United Methodist Church on Saturday, Feb. 1, at 2 p.m. with Pastor Steve Potts officiating. Interment will be private.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Malvern United Methodist Church, 121 W. Wood St., Malvern, OH 44644, Camp Occohannock on the Bay, 9403 Camp Lane, Belle Haven, VA 23306, or Atlantic United Methodist Church, 10052 Atlantic Road, Atlantic, VA 23303.
Arrangements are by the Thornton Funeral Home in Parksley.
To sign the guest book online, visit: www.thorntonfuneralhome.net
