- Date Of Birth: August 6, 1915
- Date Of Death: October 31, 2010
- State: Colorado
George Thomas O’Malley Jr. passed in his sleep on Sunday, October 31, 2010. He as born on August 6,1915 to George Thomas O’Malley Sr. and Laura O’Malley in Cleveland, Ohio. As one of the “Greatest Generation” George seemed to do it all, born in the horse and buggy era moving on to trains to cars to learning to fly. Mr. O’Malley was a graduate of Ohio State University in Landscape Architecture. He served with the Army Air Corps during World War II, leaving the Air Force as a Major. He met and married the beautiful love of his life, Nadine Parrish of San Angelo, Texas in 1942. They settled in Ohio where George worked as a park planner for the Ohio Department of Forestry and State Parks. Mr. O’Malley accepted the position of Director of Colorado State Parks in 1960 and the family moved to Colorado. During his tenure as Director 27 new state parks were established in Colorado. After his retirement from the state in 1982, George volunteered with the Littleton Public Schools for 12 years. Scores of elementary school children knew him as Grandpa O’Malley. His was honored for this work as the Colorado State Volunteer of the Year in1988. George was an avid gardener and also served as Arapahoe Extension Agent Master Gardener. Mr. O’Malley is preceded in death by his two sisters, Laura and Alice and his great love, his wife of 68 years, Nina Nadine O’Malley. He will be missed by his five children, G. Thomas O’Malley III, Michael (Kath), Molly, Brian, Leeann Schott (Dan), 11 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Lois Simon of Centerville, Ohio. George O’Malley will be dearly missed as a fun and caring fellow that is remembered for his ever positive outlook on life. He loved the glorious blue mountain sky and did so feel “tis privilege to live in Colorado”.
