George W. Waddell

    George William Waddell, of Saxeville, Wisconsin, died November 17, 2015 after a courageous battle with cancer.  He was born May 27, 1927 in Hopewell, Virginia, son of George W. and Flora (Jones) Waddell.
    George has been a preacher most of his life, starting at the age of 8 when he sat his brothers and sister down on the front porch of their home for a service when his mom and dad were out shopping.  The Lord continued to use him as a minister ever since.  
    He was a 1944 graduate of Buies Creek high school, immediately entering the draft during World War II.  He served in the United States Navy as a radioman, arriving in the Philippines when Japan offered the first terms of surrender after the atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  He was allowed to see Japan from his ship as it went 3 miles into the inland waters.  From there, his ship returned to San Diego.
    Upon returning home to North Carolina, George attended Campbell College (1946-47) in Buies Creek and then Wake Forest College near Raleigh, N.C.  He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history and art in 1948.  It was while in college that he met Eloise Fowlkes and, having dated her for several years, married her on June 6, 1950.  Soon afterward they left North Carolina and moved to Chester, PA where he attended Crozer Seminary, receiving his Masters in Divinity in 1955.  He worked at the Ford Plant and the Navy Ship Yard while attending seminary.  
    Upon graduation, he moved to Chicago and began working at the South Chicago Neighborhood House as a Home Missionary Boys Worker.  Then he moved to Wisconsin and began managing the Chicago Baptist Camp in Green Lake, Wisconsin.  Under his direction the camp flourished and was transformed from a Boy Scout camp into a coed summer camp for children and youth.  Camp Grow, as it was to become known as, saw many new developments in his 5 years as manager.  He and his staff moved cabins, rearranged the camp into four villages, built 5 new buildings and grew the camp into a highly efficient summer camping program for folks of the Chicago area.  He was pleased to have some very fine servants of the Lord working with him during these years, including kitchen staff, Mr. Steve and Miss Alice, and program director, Mr. Joseph Stampf and family.
    After 5 years as the manager of Camp Grow, George accepted the calling of becoming the pastor of the Saxeville Baptist Church.  Not too long afterwards, George also became the pastor of the Wild Rose Presbyterian Church.  He served as the pastor at the Baptist Church for 25 years, and the Presbyterian Church for 13 years.  
    During his 50 years in Saxeville, George was instrumental in starting the Saxeville Satellites 4-H Club and the Waushara County Clergy Association study group; he sang in the “Over the Hill Gang” barbershop quartet for 20 years; belonged to the Kiwanis Club for 22 years; sang in the Handle’s Messiah Chorus many years; worked with the Wild Rose Hospital Auxiliary installing Lifeline connections; served on the Saxeville Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years, was a vital member of the Saxeville Improvement Association for many years, and participated in the Waupaca Fine Arts Festival Orchestra and Choir as 4th chair cello under the direction of Mr. Knipple for 10 years.  He was a cello student with Mr. Bruce Renolds for many years, playing in the Waushara Chamber String Quartet.  
    George was preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers, Richard, Harold, and Cecil.  He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Eloise; daughter Winnifred (Shawn), and sons, William (Sharon), Wade “Harry” (LeeAnn), Warren “Dick” (Linda), and Wiley “Tom” (Shelly); his brother Roy and sister Louise; 14 grandchildren, Felicia and Roya, Gabe (Katie), Holly, David (Sarah), Garrett, Daniel, and Heidi, Joshua (Krista), and Rebecca, Sara (Rick), and Naomi, and Samantha and Lee; and 2 great-grandchildren, Jonathan and Abigail.  He is further survived by many friends, neighbors, and brothers and sisters in Christ.
    A celebration of life memorial service was held at the Maple Crest Funeral Home, N2620 Hwy. 22, Waupaca, WI 54981.  Rev. Jeff Fletcher of the Crystal Lake United Methodist Church presided as the pastor.  Military services followed the memorial.
    Friends can send greetings to the family at P.O. Box 29, Saxeville, WI 54976, or can submit online condolences to www.maplecrestfuneralhome.com.
A simple, ordinary, humble man who lived an extraordinary life.
Not a prophet, not a priest, but a lover of people and a follower of Jesus Christ.

     A celebration of life for George will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 28, 2016 at the World War II Memorial Building, 440 W Main St., Wautoma, WI.

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