Jim Troxel

Man of the Quick Quip

George impressed me as being of the Old School. By that, he was a person of unflappable integrity; a guy whose word you could trust. He was intellectually sharp, having done his homework on the subjects that interested him. He was honest as the day is long. He really enjoyed his early morning online research, a quality I admired most, as a morning guy myself.

Being in his company was like being in school; you always learned something you didn’t know. I found myself seeking out his companionship to ask one more question about something he had mentioned in an earlier conversation.

What endeared me to him most was his mastery of the one-liners. A by-product of his time as a politician or perhaps an early attempt at vaudeville, he had a plethora of zingers, one for every occasion. I enjoyed being his straight man, especially for his new acquaintances. My personal favorite, now probably considered politically incorrect, which never seemed to bother George though, was this introduction to new friends: “George, do you go out drinking a lot?” His ready reply, “No. I only drink when I’m alone or when I’m with somebody.”

Ah, George. You never missed a beat. Goodbye old friend. You will not be forgotten.