POER, George Edward (Papa)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 05/20/2005 George Edward Poer George "Papa" Poer died Sunday, May 15, 2005 at the Infinia Nursing Home in Cottonwood, after a brief illness. George was born January 31, 1913 in Throckmorton, Texas, to Louis and Fannie Poer. He was the fifth of seven children. He hitch-hiked to Whiteriver, Arizona from Texas when he was 17 years old. He went to work there at Goodman's Store, the dairy, and the Canteen. Mr. Poer met and married Nola Serena Earl June 12, 1933. He ran the dairy at the Tedy Roosevelt Boarding School in Fort Apache until all the cows came down with garget and had to be destroyed. Their children began to arrive, Jack, Dennis and Jodeen. Together they ran a café' at Indian Pine. They lived at Black River in a big tent, while George worked for the state. One summer George worked on the lookout tower at McKay's Peak. Mr. Poer went to work for the McNary Lumber Company in 1937 and was responsible for building many of the log roads, still in use today. Besides McNary, he and his family lived in the logging camps of North Fork, Little Diamond, and Maverick. He and El O'Donnell ran the Chevron Station mechanic Shop in McNary, but dealing with the public was not his idea of fun. The family moved to Pinetop in 1951 and resided there until July 2003. George retired from Southwest Forest industries in McNary in 1977, after 39 years of long, hard work. He was loved greatly by all his co-workers. He worked mostly as a heavy-duty mechanic and was an ingenious inventor, fabricator, and welder. He built many contraptions over the years, including a motorbike, a tractor, a push lawn mower, a wheelbarrow, a wood carrier, and hi own log-splitter. After retirement, papa continued to Tinker in his shop, taking things apart and putting them back together; he always had to keep his hands busy and greasy. He was a voracious reader. Louis L'Amour novels were his favorite. He was best known for his quiet demeanor, sly smile and a chuckle, and the little ditties he would compose on the spur of the moment. George is survived by his wife of almost 72 years, Nola Poer, of Sedona; one daughter, Jodeen (Stan) Stephens, of Sedona, two sons, Jack (Deloris Lundblade) of Idaho Falls, Idaho; and Dennis (JoAnne Haralson), of Herford, 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild; one sister, Virginia Ann Kirkpatrick, of Gilbert; two sisters-in-law, Bobbie Poer of Slaton, Texas; and Dovie Earl, of Show Low, and one brother-in-law, Randall (Patricia Rierdon) Earl, of Prescott; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceeded in death by his parents Louis and Fannie, four brothers, Pete, Archie, Ben (and their wives), and Louis, and one sister, Mary Elizabeth Jamison, two sisters-in-law, Nelma Hutton and Ula Jean (Raymond) Merrell, and three brothers-in-law, Chuck Earl; Mervin Earl; and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 21, 2005 at 2 p.m., at the Pinetop-Lakeside Stake Center in Lakeside. A Viewing will be held from 1:00 - 2:00 pm in the Relief Society Room. Burial will be in the Pinetop Cemetery. The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to RTA Hospice, 70 Bell Rock Plaza, Ste. A, Sedona, Az 86351. Greer's Mortuary of Sedona assisted the family with the arrangements.