George A. Stein ’50 passed away peacefully at his Napa home on Sept. 11, 2015.
George was born on Jan. 6, 1929 in St. Louis, Missouri to Melvin and Hattie Stein. The family moved to Napa in 1938. He graduated from Napa High in 1946 and received a full basketball scholarship to the University of Santa Clara, where he graduated with a BS degree in commerce. George served in the Army for two years at the time of the Korean War. Following his time in the service, he began his minor league baseball career with the Yankees farm club. During this time he met and married Shirley Russell. They moved to Napa in 1954 and George started working at Basalt Rock Company and became involved in the Napa community, serving on the Civil Service Commission and the Grand Jury. When Basalt was later purchased by Dillingham Corporation he was appointed Vice President of Labor Relations and continued to be greatly respected and known as a man of his word. George retired from Dillingham in 1994 and immediately started his new career as Administrator of the California Field Iron Workers Administrative Trust. He retired on December 31, 2013 just a few days shy of his 85th birthday. George was very proud of the fact that he never missed a paycheck in 59 years of work.
In 1985 George married Carol Hamon Jones and they just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They enjoyed traveling and reached their goal of visiting the capitols of all 50 states. Additionally, they found time to travel to all 58 county seats in California.
George loved all sports and was an avid bowler and golfer. He was always grateful for what his sports career at Napa High had done for his life. It gave him the opportunity to attend the University of Santa Clara on a basketball scholarship. Because he wanted to acknowledge the important part the NHS Athletic Department had in his life and the lives of many other students, he led the effort to create the Napa High Athletic Hall of Fame Foundation. He thought it was a fitting way to celebrate the 1997 Napa High School 100 year anniversary. George’s older brother Mel was inducted in its inaugural year and George followed in 2000.
George is survived by his wife Carol; his children Linda Fitzgerald of San Luis Obispo, James (Dianna) of Lodi and Susan of Napa; his stepdaughter Amanda Jones of Napa; and his multiple grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his parents, brother Mel and his stepdaughter Karen Jones Shubin.