George Robert Hutchison

George Robert Hutchison, 103, of Ottawa, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, December 31, 2014, at Village West. Family will meet with friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., Monday, January 5, 2015, at Dengel & Son Mortuary. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m., Monday at the mortuary. Interment Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, Kansas. George was born Saturday, December 9, 1911, in Atchison County, Kansas, the only child of Noah Winfield and Louise Dorothy (Kloepper) Hutchison. He lived in Atchison, Kansas, and in Jefferson and Jackson Counties before moving to Anderson County, Kansas in 1930. He lived and farmed many years in the Princeton, Kansas community before moving to Ottawa in 1957. George graduated from Atchison County Community High School with the class of 1930 and attended Central College in McPherson in 1934. He was a salesman for the Wearever Company selling pots and pans immediately after leaving college. He then worked for approximately one year selling products for the Serge Milking Company. He then traveled 36 states, with his wife and daughter, setting advertisement signs for the National Sign Company of Ottawa. After his daughter needed to begin school he returned to Princeton, Kansas and began farming. In 1953, he moved his family to a farm in the Richmond, Kansas area. A few years later he returned to the National Sign Company as a shop foreman, where he worked 21 years, retiring in 1973. He has resided at Village West for the last 10 years where he was a beloved member of the family. George attended Princeton United Methodist Church, later joining the First United Methodist Church in Ottawa and then transferred his membership to Trinity United Methodist Church also in Ottawa. He was very active in all of these churches. George celebrated 60 years of blissful marriage with Viola Faye McGuire. They were married October 12, 1932, in Agricola, Kansas. She preceded him in death November 21, 1991. He was also preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his two children, Georgia Faye Whiteford and husband Carroll of Ottawa, and Lowell Hutchison and wife Diane of St. Joseph, Missouri; seven grandchildren, Lieschen Saale and husband David of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Dr. Lawrence R. Hutchison and wife Nicole of Peosta, Iowa, Richard Jackson and wife Erika of St. Joseph, Missouri, Lael Marie Holloway and husband Kelly of Lenexa, Kansas, Matthew Whiteford and wife Patsy of Hutchinson, Kansas, Mark Whiteford of Ottawa, Kansas, and Timothy Whiteford and wife Deborah of Kansas City, Missouri; eleven great grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter. The family suggests memorial contributions to Franklin County Cancer Foundation c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. Family and friends are encouraged to leave their condolences and memories on Mr. Hutchison’s Celebration Wall.