In loving memory of my cousin, George William McGee. We were born just a few months apart—George in May 1962 and I in August 1962—and he always reminded me that he was the older one, naturally taking the lead in our adventures.
Some of my fondest memories are of the time we spent together. Behind his house, George transformed a muddy hole made by beavers into a personal beach for his family. To us, it was paradise, even if others wouldn’t dare swim in it!
Camping at Fairview Beach was another highlight. George taught me how to swim, and I’ll never forget how I almost drowned during those lessons! Things somehow where much simpler then and it was all part of the fun.
At his house, we had our share of mischief too. We were once playing with gasoline and lighting fires on the sidewalk—and then, the fire got away from us, and we nearly burnt the house down! We knew we were in trouble when his mom got home!
Our weekends were filled with excitement, especially when our parents went out dancing or to the slot machines in Maryland on the weekends. That was when we would spend the night at each other’s houses, often under the watchful eyes of his older sisters, Sharon and Marcella, who were left in charge of us...we drove them crazy!
George was a kind-hearted soul with a smile that could light up any room. He will be deeply missed, not only by me but by everyone who knew him. Rest in peace, dear cousin. Until we meet again