George Woolsey

George Albert Woolsey went to Heaven on February 12, 2015 at Good Samarian Village - Grand Island Campus.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home in Hastings Thursday, February 19, 2015; 10:30 A.M. with Pastor Rod Armon officiating. Burial with military rights will be the 19th in Inland Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday, February 18, 2015; 4 P.M. - 7 P.M. at the funeral home with family present and one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Thursday. The family asks that you wear RED to honor George. Memorials are suggested to The Clay County Museum, the Inland Nebraska CommunityFoundation, "Eddie" the Comfort Dog, from Peace Lutheran Church in Grand Island or to Good Samaritan Village - Grand Island Campus.

George Albert Woolsey was born Wednesday, January 21, 1931 at St. Anthony's Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Bert W. Woolsey and Bernice (Kerr) Woolsey. At a young age his family moved to Mead, Nebraska.

Upon High School graduation from Wahoo High School, in May of 1949, George enrolled at Colorado State University to study Agriculture. He enlisted in the United States Navy on December 28, 1950. He served on the USS Skagit Naval Ship as a "Machinery Repairman, First Class" during the Korean War until his honorary discharge on September 1, 1954.

On November 24, 1954 he married Mary Ann Murphy at First Methodist Church in Fremont, Nebraska. In January 1955 he enrolled in the University of Nebraska school of Agriculture in Lincoln. While at the University he managed the University Dairy Herd, which was housed on East Campus at the time.

Upon graduation from the university in 1958, with a degree in Agriculture, George was an Assistant Extension Agent in York County for 6 months before he became the County Extension Agent in Clay County, Nebraska. He had received his Master's Degree in Agriculture from the University in 1969. George and Mary Ann began Geo-Ann-Dairy in 1958 upon moving to Inland, Nebraska. The Registered Brown Swiss Herd won numerous production and breed awards over the years. They milked until 1992 and remained at Inland until moving to Grand Island in February of 2010.

George's job included working on many boards, all with the connection to Agriculture. Over the years he worked with: The Clay County Feeders Association, The Corn Growers Association, and The Pest Management Board. He was instrumental in helping to bring the Meat Animal Research Center to Clay County. During his years as the Clay County Extension Agent he began the first "Ag Hot Line" in Nebraska... creating a telephone recording that was used to get information to the farmers about current crop conditions or diseases and animal health information. Clay County was the first County in Nebraska to start the Ground Water Testing Program. Under George's guidance, ground water plugs with meters were buried in crop fields of volunteer farmers, giving them valuable information on when and how much to irrigate. This became a valuable planning tool for farmers and a tool in the studies of understanding about Nebraska's ground water.

George was a founding member of the Clay County Museum and the Old Trusty - Antique Tractor and Collectors Show, held in Clay Center every year in September since 1982. He was a delegate for Mid-America Dairymen for many years and served as the Nebraska State Dairy Associations Executive Secretary for over 20 years. He so loved serving as Superintendent at the Nebraska State Fair for both the State 4-H Dairy Shows and Swine shows. He enjoyed working alongside his mentor Phil Cole during the State Fair 4-H and Ak-Sar-Ben Dairy shows every year.

George retired in 1986 as The Clay County Extension Agent but continued to judge at County fairs throughout the state. He loved working with and mentoring 4-H kids and watching them compete at the County and State Fair levels. All his life he enjoyed wood working and creating beautiful projects. He has been a season ticket holder of Husker Football tickets since 1958 and loved going to the games. He loved collecting tractors large and small especially International Tractors. He was known for his extensive Dairy collection of antique bottles, churns and anything Dairy.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, parents and two sisters.

SURVIVORS:
Wife:
Mary Ann Woolsey - Hastings, NE

Children & Spouses:
Julie & Randy Meier - Grand Island, NE
George II & Monique Woolsey - Grand Junction, CO

Grandchildren & Spouses:
Joshua & Kelsey Meier - Doniphan, NE
George III & Morgan Woolsey - Lindon, UT
Gerad Woolsey - Denver, CO
Griffin Woolsey - Grand Junction, CO
Giles Woolsey - Grand Junction, CO

Great Grandchildren:
Alexis Meier Glaze - Grand Island, NE
George IV Woolsey - Lindon, UT
Evelyn Woolsey - Lindon, UT

Sister:
Jean Isaacson - Long Beach, CA

Brother-in-Law:
Dr. Max Edmondson - Cassville, MO

Great friend:
Darrel Wehnes - Inland, NE

Dog:
Holly

Thousands of his past 4-Hers