George William Tanner III was born in 1945, the second child of George II of the Naugatuck Valley and Margaret M. Tanner of Paterson, NJ.
George lived a life dedicated to family, friends, sports, and service. A lifelong athlete, George played multiple sports at Ansonia High School and beyond.
As an adult, George regularly competed as a tournament golfer in Connecticut and throughout the country and was a prominent figure at Highland Golf Club in Shelton, where he was a past president, club champion, and course record holder. In his professional career, he served as an educator, coach, and administrator in the Derby Public Schools for nearly 40 years and, after retirement, served as interim administrator at several other Connecticut school districts.
George gardened, fished, and golfed avidly with his sons when they were children in addition to coaching their sports teams in Seymour. He enjoyed cooking and traveling; his most memorable trip was to Scotland, where he played The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews- his concept of paradise. George passed away unexpectedly on the morning of Tuesday, February 22, just shy of his 77th birthday.
George is survived by many members of his loving family: his wife Lorraine, his two adult sons Geoffrey and Gregory, their wives Tasha and Hilary, and his four grandchildren Haviland, Hayden, Henry, and William. George is also survived by his older sister Margot and her husband Tony DeMelis; by his younger brother Rick and his wife Darlene, and their children and grandchildren; as well as by his brother-in-law Robert Dembia and his wife and sons, and sister-in-law Denise Higgins and her husband and daughter.
Additionally, George is survived by an incalculable number of dedicated and devoted friends, acquaintances, and colleagues, all of whom shall greatly miss his magnanimous generosity, easy smile, loud laugh, and quick wit. A memorial gathering for close friends and family will take place at a later date. It was George’s wish that any memorial gifts be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
