From Rich and Susan Tantilla

It took me a while to be able to write about George. He was a dear friend, a mentor and part of my family.

I meet George for the first time in 1979 walking down my street trying to get listings. I wasn’t interested at the time but there was a connection that lasted 31 years. I ended up buying 2 houses and selling one thru him. We talked real estate, stocks, wines and even had a Sunday wine tasting by the pool that eventually included both my sons and brother in law. Mind you, we were not tasting vintage bottles…….but the best bottles under $4.99. We shared families, friends and life.

I was honored to meet Tim and Nick, Dale and Family, Artie and Family, MJ and George, Jon and Carla and many others. George was always keeping all his close ties together. The old saying, To Know Him is To love him.

We, along with MJ and George, Jon and Carla and his friends were quick to acknowledge, what started out as fondness and friendship, ended not only as caring but love. He was a true gentlemen and friend.

We all have our George stories, arriving home and finding him reading and watching the news, sitting out by the pool with some wine and eventually, sleeping on the couch. Our lives were blessed by his friendship, our families graced by his presence. He was Family.

Since moving 4 years ago to Tennesse, we were only able to see George once a year. We received his stock picks, jokes and articles weekly and talked over the phone a few times a month. Although never enough it was all that could be done.

George always surrounded himself with what he loved, family, friends, wine, traveling, stocks, cooking and of course cars. All of these things he loved deeply but the one thing that made it all come together was his marriage to Artie. He now had a friend, a lover, a business associate and a companion to share this all with.

May God Bless you George, as he has blessed us in knowing you.

- Rich, Susan and Family

From Henk and Carol Peeters

The attached photo shows George, Artie and friends in Turkey some years ago. George was unique, totally his own man, marching to his own drummer. When traveling with him it was not unusual for us to look around and ask: “Where is George”, after he had wandered off in pursuit of something intriguing. Yes, he did love cars and we have particularly fond memories of the Cadillac and VW wagon pictured below. We went camping with George in the Cadillac. After taking this monster up and down rocky dirt roads in the Sierras George had to invest in new shocks. As usual George was undaunted. After we were all first married in the sixties George picked up the VW in Germany and we traveled together first visiting my home town, Amsterdam, and then going on to France where we had memorable meals and great wine. We have fond memories of visiting the champagne cellars in Reims and Carol has not so fond memories of George’s reluctance to stop and find a ladies bathroom. In those days, in France, us guys just went behind a tree along the road.

We will miss him.

Henk and Carol Peeters

Drawing from Tim Dryden

This is a picture I drew of George back in 1986 when I was 16. I have very fond memories of watching movies at George's house on Eastridge with Nick. Inevitably he would fall asleep in his chair with a glass of wine. I always had a lot of respect for George and loved that he always took interest in what was going on in my life. He will be very missed. Tim Dryden. (click to see full size)