George Trepus Jr. was born in Seattle, WA, to George Elmer Trepus Sr. and Catherine Mae (Lund) Trepus. He was the second of three children. His sister, Betty, was 6½ years older than George and his younger brother, David, was 6½ years younger. George was raised during the depression and WWII.

The family lived in the Queen Anne neighborhood and were active in the Free Methodist community around Seattle Pacific College (SPC). George was an active young man, and his hobbies included swimming, biking, fishing, and reading. He worked at various jobs during his early years at several hardware and grocery stores, a bakery, a print shop, and a pickle factory (one can only imagine the pranks he pulled at the pickle factory!).

George played high school football and joined the Army National Guard two weeks before his 16th birthday. After graduating from Queen Anne High School in 1949 and completing his first year at SPC, George's National Guard unit was mobilized in 1950 for the Korean War. George spent time in Korea, as a Sergeant in the Combat Engineering Battalion.

After being honorably discharged in 1951, George returned to SPC and graduated with a BS in Chemistry in 1955. He started his career at Boeing in 1956 and during some of the Boeing "down years" in the early 70's, he worked as a logger for Weyerhaeuser. He returned to Boeing in 1973 and retired in 1993 as a Senior Specialist Engineer. He authored many technical reports and was named in seven patents.

In 1963, George married Donna Kaye Madison, a well-known Enumclaw girl who was the 1962 Enumclaw Rodeo Queen. They were married for 19 years and had three children: Greg, Brad, and Cathy.

In 1988, George married Pauline (Williams) Whitmer, and they began their life together in Enumclaw. They adopted Adam the following year. They were married for 33 years, until Pauline's death in 2022, and resided in Enumclaw until health issues required them both to seek alternative residences.

Starting in 2008, George suffered a series of debilitating strokes, which brought on numerous physical challenges requiring specialized care. Despite this, he always maintained a positive attitude and was a favorite among the staff wherever he lived. Each stroke left him with additional challenges – but his optimism and positive attitude continued until the very end. This was an inspiration to all those who knew him.

George had a strong and determined Christian faith that grew stronger during his later years. He was regarded as a "spiritual pillar" in the skilled nursing facilities where he lived and could always be found in the chapel services and Bible studies. George loved reading Christian books, especially anything by Max Lucado. He became a dedicated prayer warrior, often saying, "It's the one thing I can still do."

George may be remembered for his creative pranks, being incredibly stubborn, holding strong opinions, and the ability to have a good laugh, especially at himself. He was well-known for playing the role of Santa Claus throughout the community for many years and bringing joy to children and

adults alike. He loved being around his many grandchildren, being outdoors, guns, a good mystery book, and classic cars.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Gilbertson Funeral Home in Stanwood, WA, at 11:30 on 8/22/24.