George J Endres

George J. Endres

George J. Endres, 88, died Friday (Jan. 25, 2008) while asleep in his room at Bethesda Home in Goessel.

George was born and raised in Newton, and his family lived on the family farm at the west end of Broadway and later lived on Meridian Road.

He was schooled in Newton but got his "real education" in the last mounted Calvary Division of the U.S. Army. It was during a military leave that George fell in love and married a local girl named Bette Norton.

Following World War II, George worked at Royston's Auto Supply until joining his wife's family business, Norton's Memorials, where George became well known as a granite cutter and designer and carried on the family's 100-year legacy until his retirement and the closure of Norton's Memorials. George's art and artistry will live on in all the neighboring cemeteries displaying his hand-carved granite and marble.

George was a "giver" of his time and talents, fixing things for people and a constant help to the American Legion, the Cub Scouts and 4-H.

Later in his life, he gave and served in various church activities both in Newton and in Mission, Texas. Retirement only meant a time of constant growth and for travel in RV parks, as many years were spent commuting back and forth as a "winter Texan."

Survivors include his wife, Bette, who now lives at Kansas Christian Home in Newton; son Jay (Jim) Endres of Redwood City, Calif.; sister, Marie McQuarie of Santa Fe, N.M.; and two half-sisters, Alice Smith of Wichita and Carolyn Davidson of Decatur, Texas.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Miller Funeral Home, 107 S. Lancaster in Hesston, with family present from 6 to 8 p.m.

Funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with Peter Hartman officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Bethesda Home in care of the funeral home.