Tributes

Gregory Eugene George, 50, of Orlando, Florida, passed away on December 20, 2016. He was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on March 25, 1966 to Gary and Carolyn George. He is survived by his sister, Kimberly Abbott (Mike Gustine), his nephews, Taylor and Kennedy Abbott, and his great-nephew, Wyatt. He will be missed by all who knew him. Greg George passed away on Dec. 20, 2016, leaving a void for family, friends and co-workers who will miss his passion for music and sports, his intense loyalty, gentle demeanor and unapologetic weakness for all kinds of goofy jokes. He was 50. “He was the kind of man who would do anything in the world for you if he could do it,” said Jodi Renee Thomas, a friend for more than 25 years in Orlando. “He had a huge heart and an incredible soul.” Born March 25, 1966, in Lincoln, Nebraska, Greg moved to Orlando in 1978 with his parents, Gary and Carolyn George, and his younger sister, Kim. He attended Meadowbrook Middle School, less than a block from the family’s home, then graduated from Evans High School in 1984. A few years later, he began working as a bouncer and bartender at Visage nightclub, immersing himself in the Orlando club scene that would provide him with a network of friends that would become a second family. “He was my big strong protector,” Thomas said. “He was the bartender and the bouncer. I was the pretty little young naïve punk rocker. We became friends.” For 20 years, Greg spent Thanksgivings with Thomas and her family. He also pushed her to pursue her career as a freelance writer. “Once you had a spot in his heart, you were there forever,” Thomas said. “That was a lucky thing for me, to earn a place so long ago.” At the same time, Greg was a devoted uncle to two young nephews, Kennedy and Taylor, who lived not far from Orlando. At annual holiday gatherings in Sanford and Mount Dora, he tossed footballs and baseballs with the kids. At such gatherings, he introduced the boys to his quirky sense of humor as well as the virtues of his favored sports teams: the Kansas City Royals and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. "He was a cool uncle, " said his sister, Kim. "Of course he was. He was really just a big kid. " Recently, Greg added the Orlando City Lions and Orlando Pride to his list of favorites. After a bad knee ended his bouncer days, Greg worked in landscaping and other jobs before returning to school. In 2008, he graduated from Herzing University in Orlando, where he was honored as Student of the Year in the Medical Billing & Insurance Coding program. "I was really impressed when he went back to school and got his degree," Kim said. "He sought to do better for himself and really knocked it out of the park. He excelled in the work and made a very successful transition." When he died, Greg was working in the billing office of Dr. Joseph Wehman Neurosurgery in Orlando. In addition to his sister and her sons, Greg is survived by many aunts, uncles & cousins. A Celebration of Life Party for Greg George will be held Saturday January 7th at the Hourglass Brewery in Longwood, at 1p.m. All are welcome. There will be an open mic, and food is available. There will be a raffle/silent auction to help Greg's family tie up some loose ends. Please come help us celebrate Greg's life, and everything he meant to us.

Tributes

Gregory Eugene George

March 25, 1966 - December 20, 2016