SIUE Mourns Loss of Alumna and Benefactor Bev George
The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville community is mourning the loss of Beverly ‘Bev’ K. George, who passed away Saturday, July 10 at her home. She was 68.
As a first-generation college graduate, George attended SIUE and earned a bachelor’s in 1975 and a master’s in education in ’79. From 1975-82, she was an instructor for SIUE’s Upward Bound program, where she helped Vietnam veterans returning from war strengthen their skills. From 1979-82, she taught English and Reading at Highland High School. During that time, her passion for students and education led her to develop and implement a delinquency prevention program for the City of Edwardsville.
George’s commitment to SIUE over the years was second to none. She was a loyal donor to the University since 1980 and volunteered her time and many talents whenever possible. Most recently, she served on the SIUE Foundation Board since 2011 and served as the president from 2017-19. She was a member of the SIUE Alumni Association Board and served as president from 2010-12, and was a former chair of the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Advisory Board.
“When I moved to Edwardsville, she brought me into her vast group of friends, book club, SIUE Foundation, personal friends, her family, and her business associates. They are all my cherished friends now because of her,” said Sherry Baker, former SIUE Foundation Board member.
George was also a Lifetime Member of the SIUE Alumni Association, a member of the Meridian Society, the Friends of Lovejoy Library, the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior Academy of Fellows, and a mentor for Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (STAT).
George was inducted into the SIUE Alumni Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2017, Bev shared with Chancellor Randy Pembrook, “As the daughter of a steelworker and a secretary who otherwise may have not been able to go to school, studying at SIUE was a wonderful opportunity. SIUE gave me such a jumpstart on learning and in my career. Over the years, I’ve seen how much the University has grown under the great leadership of our presidents and chancellors. When I come on to campus now, I just about burst with pride to see all the buildings, the growing number of students and the high standards we’re able to demand of our students. I’m so pleased to see how SIUE has grown, and it makes me want to be on campus and help in any possible way.”
In 1984, George founded Bev George & Associates, which has grown to become the oldest independent real estate firm in Edwardsville. She published five real estate courses and taught realtors locally and internationally. She served as the chair of the Illinois Association of Realtors Professional Standards and Education committees, the National Board of the Certified Residential Brokerage Council, and was former chair of the Real Estate Education Foundation. She was the recipient of several professional awards including The Greater Gateway Association of Realtors “Realtor of the Year” and “Outstanding Educator” awards. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Tallerico Leadership Award from the Ed/Glen Chamber of Commerce.
George had a passion for giving back to the Edwardsville community. She played a significant role in the Edwardsville community with her involvement with the Edwardsville Chamber of Commerce, Edwardsville Children's Museum, the Humane Society, the YMCA, Holiday Shores Fire Department, the Watershed Nature Center, Goshen Market, Edwardsville School District Citizen’s Advisory Council and many others.
She is survived by her husband John D. George. They celebrated their 39th anniversary last month. Their daughter, Sarah George-Waterfield, graduated from SIUE with a master’s in English in 2013.
“She was a brilliant woman, a fierce friend, a woman of great faith, and the best mother a girl could possibly have. A woman of many hats, most of them big and fabulous, she’s left a lot of holes in a lot of hearts,” George-Waterfield ‘13, said.
Weber & Rodney Funeral Home is managing the arrangements. A complete obituary is available at the Intelligencer.com.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 15 at Trinity Lutheran Church, 600 Water St., in Edwardsville. There will be a reception from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Sunset Hills Country Club. Memorial contributions can be made to the SIUE Foundation and the Madison County Humane Society.
