George Alvin Small, 94, of Amherst, passed from this life to the next on Saturday, October 24, 2020, at Kingston of Vermilion, where he had resided for the past two years.
George was born in Deshler, Ohio, on May 22, 1926 to William Chauncey and Myrtle Emma Small (nee Britt). The family moved to Pemberville, Ohio, in 1936.
George graduated from Pemberville High School in 1943. He began college at Bowling Green University (now BGSU) that summer majoring in chemistry. A year later he was drafted into the Army and sent to West Virginia University for the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). This program was terminated when World War II ended. In the fall of 1946 George resumed his chemistry studies at Bowling Green, graduating in 1948. He worked as a chemist at the Plascon division of Libby Owen Ford in Toledo.
In 1949 he married his college sweetheart, Marjorie Deuschle. They lived in Toledo until 1951, when they moved to Amherst following the death of her father, John Deuschle, to help her mother Rose on the family farm. George enjoyed a long career as a research chemist at B.F. Goodrich Chemical Co. in Avon Lake from 1951 until his retirement in 1988.
George was a member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Amherst, where he served on the Board of Trustees, as Church Council President, and for many years as Sunday School Superintendent.
He is survived by his daughter Janet (Michael) Ranney of Brownhelm Township; grandchildren, Amanda (John) Schaller, Melissa (Anthony) Tuccini, Michael (Nichole) Small, Emma Ranney, Michael Ranney, John Ranney, and George Ranney; and great-grandsons, Nicholas Tuccini and Brady Schaller. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Charles in 1984, wife Marjorie in 2017, and son John in 2018.
Public visitation for family and friends will be held Friday, November 6, 2020, afternoon and evening by reservation at https://signup.com/go/XQecVso or by calling 440-988-4451, at Hempel Funeral Home, Amherst, Ohio. Limited public funeral for family and friends will be held Saturday, November 7th. morning by reservation at https://signup.com/go/YXZVPwH Hempel Funeral Home. PUBLIC LIVE STREAMING of the funeral service will be available at www.hempelfuneralhome.com on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.by selecting the live stream tab to gain access. Rebroadcasting of services will be available at www.hempelfuneralhome.com The Rev. Larry Nocella of Camden Baptist Church, pastor, will officiate. Burial will take place at Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst Township.
The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Cleveland Area Chapter, P.O. Box 74924, Cleveland, Ohio 44194-4924.
Additional information and online register book are available at www.hempelfuneralhome.com
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