In Memoriam
George W. McCrea, 86
February 11, 1936 - June 16, 2022
COOPERSTOWN – George W. McCrea, age 86, of Cooperstown, passed away peacefully early Thursday morning, June 16, 2022.
George was born February 11, 1936, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, a son of James M. and Alice (Reilly) McCrea.
When he was a youngster his family moved to Laurens, where he graduated from Laurens Central School with the Class of 1955. During his high school years, he was a three-sport all-star in football, basketball and baseball. On January 18, 1956, he enlisted in the United States Navy and proudly served his country as a Third Class Petty Officer for four years following the Korean War. He often recalled when his ship, the USS Leyte, hit a whale, noting, “It stopped the ship dead in the water.” His aircraft carrier was responsible for patrolling the northeast coast of the United States. Following his honorable discharge on December 17, 1959, he apprenticed to and became a stone mason and a bricklayer. He also owned and operated a farm on the Middlefield Center Road.
