George Elmer McGonagill (known to his family as Bud) was born October 9, 1934 in Melvin, TX.
George passed away on June 25, 2022 at approximately 2:50 AM at the Val Verde County Memorial Hospital in Del Rio, TX as a result of a severe infection. He was comforted by his eldest son Brian.
George was born at home and told that the attending physician was Dr. B. B. Beekly. George was the ninth born of fourteen children to John and Clara Mae (Grimes) McGonagill.
In 1939 the family relocated to Del Rio. George attended first through twelfth grade in the Del Rio public school system graduating in May of 1953. During these school years he participated in all of the activities of his peers although he didn’t know at the time he was legally blind.
This included bicycle riding, skating, camping, fishing, swimming, and playing all kinds of games boys play. One activity he loved dearly was playing softball. One thing he got to do that most boys didn’t get to do was row a homemade boat up and down the irrigation ditch that runs through south Del Rio and under some of the downtown buildings.
Everybody in those days did odd jobs after school hours, on weekends, and in summer just to make a few extra coins. Some of the jobs George did were mowing lawns and yard work, selling soda-waters at the softball games, setting pins at the downtown bowling alley as well at the one on Ave. F (Veterans Blvd.), caddied at the gold course, worked at the stock pens, participated in the family run live bait business, babysat several of his nieces and nephews, ran a paper route, worked nights at the drive-in movie washing windshields, was allowed to peel native pecans that he picked up in the back yard and sold them for one dollar a quart, and worked for Mr. Bob Green building concrete tanks on ranches in the area.
George enjoyed weekend camping and fishing, but he loved eating the fish he caught, especially the boney pieces.
When he graduated in 1953, George accepted a job at Roaches Department Store working in the men’s department, and while employed there he took on the job of being the scoutmaster for the Presbyterian scout troop. Later, he went to work for Hicks/Hayward blue jean factory and worked in the downtown and north side factories.
In 1957 George attended the training program for the blind at the Texas Lion’s Camp in Kerrville, TX. He was employed to work in the training program for the adult blind and in the summer camping program for handicapped children.
George left there at the end of May in 1965 and came back to Del Rio where he invested in a café business and worked in it for nine months. George then opened a pawnshop in partnership with Richard Latham.
During that time George was contacted by the state to come for an interview for possible employment. He was hired and assigned to the Texas School for the Blind where he worked through July of 1969. While there, he worked as a house parent, and then was promoted to Director of Student Life where he was in charge of all students and house parents after school hours.
While working at the School for the Blind George was also scoutmaster for their scout troop. On his days off from the school he worked at the Lighthouse for the blind making webbed belts for the military.
In September of 1969 George returned to work for the Texas Lion’s Camp where he met his future wife Judy Weeks.
They were married August 13, 1973. Their son Brian was born May 9, 1974, and their second son David, was born June 15, 1977.
While working at the Lion’s Camp George was Operations Director and innovated several new programs. One of those was the Lion’s work weekend, which was held two different weekends before the summer camping sessions started in June.
He opened a store that sold Lion’s Camp memorabilia and also began a leasing program for outside groups. As Operations Director his responsibilities included being in charge of purchasing, supervising maintenance, dining hall, janitorial, and nursing staff, and monitoring all inventory. George left there on June 2, 1987.
After he retired, George started listening to recorded books and making hot mats. In his lifetime he had the privilege to travel to 36 states and 5 foreign countries. One of the special trips was spending three days in San Antonio, three days in San Francisco, and two weeks in Hawaii on his honeymoon.
During his lifetime George belonged to Boy Scouts of America, the Masonic Lodge, and the Heart of the Hills Lion’s Club in Kerrville, TX. He served as president of the Lion’s Club for two different terms. The most impressive initiation was with the Boy Scouts when he was made a member of the Order of the Arrow.
In summer camp, most evening programs were ended with a song called
GREEN TREES AND TAPS
Green trees around us, blue sky above,
Friends all around us in a world filled with love.
Taps sounding softly, hearts beating true
As campers sing goodnight to you.
Days done, gone the sun, from the lakes, from the hills, from the skies,
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh’.
George’s version of this song is:
Just remember, there are green trees around us and there are blue skies above,
There are friends and relatives all around us in this world filled with love.
George was preceded in death by his parents John Washington McGonagill and Clara Mae (Grimes) McGonagill, and his brothers Ralph, Andrew Jackson (Jackie), John Benjamin (J. B.), William Oscar (Sonny), Charles Glenn, his sisters Evelyn (Sis) Crosby, Ellen Hutto, Louise Newberry, and Olive Mae Turner.
George is survived by his beloved wife Judy Ernestine (Weeks) McGonagill, his son Brian George McGonagill and daughter-in-law Beatriz Consuelo McGonagill and grand-daughter Sofia Beatriz McGonagill; son John David McGonagill; brothers Floyd Thomas (Tommy) and wife Diann McGonagill from Marble Falls, TX; Gordon and wife Betty McGonagill of Bellville, TX; Walter Dea and wife Gloria McGonagill of Del Rio, TX; sister Virginia (Ginger) Ann Davis of Del Rio, TX; and so many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends who will miss him dearly.
