George Oge

Services for George Woodward Oge are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 21 at 1:30 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church with the Rev. Harrison McLeod officiating. Family will receive friends at Stewart Family Funeral Home Wednesday, Feb. 20, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Mr. Oge died peacefully on Feb. 18, 2008, in Tyler. George was born in Frio County, Texas, on Aug. 13, 1917, to George Louis Oge and Elizabeth Johnston Oge. He was a third-generation Texan. His grandfather Louis Oge came from France in 1836 to the Castroville Colony and later served as a Texas Ranger. George grew up on a ranch near Pearsall until he began his schooling in San Antonio. He graduated from Alamo Heights High School in 1935 and received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. Mr. Oge was preceded in death by two wives, Martha Cason Oge and Patricia Payne Oge, and a sister, Julia Oge Prassel. He is survived by his son, George W. Oge Jr. of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and daughters, Dee Dee Oge Bufe and husband John, Carrie Oge Wolf and husband Sam, all of Tyler, and Nanette Oge West and husband Bill of Memphis, Tenn. He is also survived by Bill Warren and wife Beverly of Plano, Nancy Warren Pfeifle and husband Peter, and Don Warren and wife Chelli, all of Tyler. His grandchildren include Cecie Oge Turlington and husband Kyle of Houston, George Woodward Oge III of Nashville, Tenn., John Cason Bufe of Atlanta, Ga., Virginia Claire Bufe and Gretchen Oge Bufe, Jonathan Woodward Wolf and wife Molly and Martie Wolf Bigbie and husband Jeff, all of Tyler, Rushton Charles Garrett of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Caroline Byers Garrett of Sewanee, Tenn. also Michael Luke Bethancourt and William Warren Bethancourt, both of Tyler, Ashley Warren Feldman and husband John of Atlanta, Ga., Courtney Cooper Warren and John Edwin Warren, both of Dallas. He was affectionately known as "Daddy George" to his grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Mr. Oge began his 50-year career in the automobile business in 1945 in Durant, Okla., where he sold Fords for 16 years. Thereafter he became an Olds-Cadillac dealer in Hobbs, N.M. He relocated with his family to Tyler in 1964 where he became the Oldsmobile dealer, later adding Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. A generation of East Texans drove Oge Olds from the 1970s to the 1990s. George will always be remembered as a dutiful, faithful, independent and loving father and friend. He enjoyed an incredibly full, healthy and long life. He was an avid hunter, a great dancer and a devoted antique car buff. He co-owned his first car, a Model T, at age 11. Mr. Oge and both of his wives loved Tyler and were active in its civic life. He served as president of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and received the T.B. Butler Award for Outstanding Citizenship in 1989. Mr. Oge had been chairman of the East Texas Hospital Foundation, Salvation Army Advisory Board, City of Tyler Airport Board, and had been a director of the Tyler Economic Development Council and also the University of Texas at Tyler Development Board. He was president of the Texas Rose Festival Association and Order of the Rose. He had served on the Vestry at Christ Episcopal Church, where he had been a member since 1977. Pallbearers are Harold Cameron, Art Cunningham, Glen Dyer, Worth Johnson, Allen Locklin, James McCain, Reaves Murphey, Harold Smotherman, Cotton Turner, Bernie Ward and Paul Waters. Honorary pallbearers are Charlie Derrington, Skip Rowan, Lloyd Terry and James Ward. If desired, memorials may be made to Christ Episcopal Church, Hospice of East Texas or The Salvation Army. To view online, go to www.stewartfamilyfuneral.com & www.tylerpaper.com.

George Oge

August 13, 1917 - February 18, 2008