BLACK, George Kenton - WWII
Source: The Neighbor, December 10, 2007, pg A3
BULVERDE, Texas — George and Virginia Black eloped into their next adventure on Nov. 15, 2007 in their home in Bulverde, Texas. They were married 64 years. George, formerly of Veedersburg, died at 11:30 a.m. and Virginia, formerly of Evansville joined him at 10 p.m. that evening. George Kenton Black was born April 7, 1921 in Akron, Ohio, the son of Robert Speed and Gladys (McGuire) Black. He and his sisters, Margaret (Robert) Pepping and Jean (Garland) Fisher, and a brother, Robert (Ruth) Black, grew up mosly in and near Veedersburg. George graduated from Veedersburg High School in 1939 and Purdue University in 1943, where he sang in the Glee Club. He served in the Navy during World War II. Virginia Meredith (McCarty) Black was born Jan. 19, 1923, the daughter of Jacob Arnold and Dorothy (Crawford) McCarty. She and her brother, James A. McCarty, grew up in Evansville. She graduated from Purdue in 1944. George and Virginia were married July 28, 1943 and, following World War II, settled in Evansville where George worked for his father-in-law at the J A McCarty Seed Co., home of Lucky Jim Popcorn. In Evansville, they were both active members of the First Presbyterian Church and many other community endeavors. George was active in Junior Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce, Indiana and American Seed Trade Association, Indiana Crop Improvement Association, Alpha Zeta (Agricultural Honorary Fraternity) and Ceres (Agronomy Honorary Fraternity). Both George and Virginia were ardently, participants in the Evansville and Indiana Council of Churches, Neighborhood House, NAACP, Mayor's Human Rights Commission, the PTA, foster parents for several multi-ethnic adolescents, and sponsored families of displaced persons. George continued his work in agricultural businesses in Nebraska and Wisconsin while Virginia used her expertise in the fields of adult education and community development. From 1978-1984 they took their love of the earth and her people abroad, first to Kenya, Kawangware/Kabiro, the impoverished outskirts of Nairobi for four years and then to Peru for one year doing community development work through the Institute for Cultural Affairs. Returning to the U. S. they continued their stewardship, managing non-profit campground facilities in Pisgah National Forest, N.C. and Daniel Boone National Forest, Ky. They retired to Texas in 1971. They had five children: Meredith B. McGuire-Spickard, Rebecca B. Kane, George Kenton Black Jr., Sarah B. Page and Christopher Crawford Black (1957-1999); brothers and sisters; 11 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. Local memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in the First Christian Church, Veedersburg. – jlr