George Vernon Eshoo, 84, died December 26, 2013 at his home in Medford, Oregon of complications of multiple myeloma. George was born in Milden, Saskatchewan, Canada to Dr. Darius and Amy Kathleen Eshoo. He had one sister, Dr. Joyce Eshoo Fielding (SPHS '42), who preceded him in death in 1967.

George's family moved from Canada to Southern California in the early 1930s where his father became the town doctor in South Pasadena. He graduated from South Pasadena-San Marino High School in 1947 where he played football and loved all sports. He was chosen for the Weldon Fair Play award, which exemplified admirable character and fair play.

George attended Occidental College for one year and then transferred to Cal Berkeley. In 1950 he married Barbara Jane Plumb (SPHS '48) also from South Pasadena, who survives. They have three children:  Janet Eshoo, Medford, Oregon; Sally (Jerry) Johnson, Tigard, Oregon; and Glenn Eshoo, Medford, Oregon.

George's career began as a gas station attendant. In 1952 he started going door-to-door selling property and casualty insurance as an independent agent. His office soon moved from the garage to an office in Pasadena. He was active in the South Pasadena Methodist Church, and was chairman of the building committee when a new sanctuary was built. He helped coach Pop Warner football there for many years.

In 1968, after visiting Southern Oregon on a vacation, George and Barbara moved their young family to Ashland where he bought a small insurance agency which eventually became Associated Insurance. He served as president of the Jackson County Insurance Agents Association, was active in the Medford YMCA where he served on the Y-Board for several years and as president for a year. He attended Ashland Christian Fellowship for many years.

One of George's greatest joys in his life was owning and personally operating Valley View Orchard outside of Ashland. Starting with the existing pears and cherries, he planted acres of apples, apricots, peaches, and nectarines, providing the public with an almost continuous summertime source of "U-Pick" fruit. Valley View Orchard's "U-Pick" operation was eventually described in both Sunset Magazine and The Christian Science Monitor Magazine.

Some of his greatest lifetime pleasures were playing and watching sports. He was a lifetime avid handball player and, with some friends, started the Southern Oregon Open Handball Tournament in 1983, an annual multi-state tournament which continued until 2004. When he could no longer play handball, he concentrated his attention to golf. His photo albums are filled with shots of family trips in their fifth-wheel RV, fishing on the Rogue River in his drift boat with friends, and building his "dream house."

After retiring, George and Barbara spent their winters in the California desert at Heritage Palms, Indio, where he loved the camaraderie of his golfing buddies, the warm sunshine and continuous sports on TV. George was a man of great integrity, loyalty, fiercely independent, and so hard-working. He always played by the rules. He was a true gentleman, a "gentle" quiet man-soft-spoken with a dry sense of humor. His love was demonstrated by his actions. He was courteous and respectful and full of forgiveness to the very end. For many years George had grave physical illnesses and much pain. He never, ever, complained. He fought a long brave fight. George was dearly loved and admired by his family.

George is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara; their three children; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.