Mr. George Eugene Stembridge: Obituary

Mr. George Eugene Stembridge, age 79, of Ellijay died Friday September 16, 2016.

Mr. Stembridge was born September 27, 1936 In Canton, GA, the son of the late Joel and Katherine Rice Stembridge. Gene grew up in Ellijay, and attended Gilmer High where he was a member of several student organizations, including the debate and basketball teams. After high school he traveled to the agricultural college Clemson to get his undergraduate degree. He continued his education at the University of Maryland, where he earned a masters and doctorate degree in fruit tree production. He wrote over 60 published research papers, and became a trail blazer in his field. His love of travel started early when he was asked to spend a year in Australia training growers in the newest production techniques. He moved his adventurous young family to the land down under where they experienced living in an exciting and new land. Once back home he began a career as a professor at Clemson University. There he taught pomology for 15 years, and gave up his full tenure to return home and work on the family fruit farm. In his spare time he and his wife traveled, and in their later years were able to visit over 100 countries. Gene loved the arts, and spent many afternoons in London’s theater district seeing unusual stage plays. He always appreciated an opportunity to look through foreign galleries, and enjoyed many genres of music, including opera, blues, folk, and his favorite; bluegrass. Besides the various arts, he loved all types of animals, and had an especially soft spot in his heart for cats.

He will be dearly missed by Carol, his loving wife of 55 years; his sister and her husband, Claudia and Dave Arp; son Bob and his partner Catherine, and their two girls Annie and Georgia; daughter Sara; and several other immediate and extended family, and friends near and far.

Memorial services will be held Saturday October 1, 2016 at 2:00pm from the chapel of Bernhardt Funeral Home with Bill Fincher and Barry Lee officiating.

In lieu of flowers donations may be to the Christian Learning Center, 183 Bobcat Trail, Ellijay, GA 30540 in memory of Mr. Stembridge.
Bernhardt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.