George Gifford Burr died peacefully at home on September 5, 2017. George was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on November 17, 1935. He grew up in St. Paul and graduated from St. Paul Academy. He attended Macalaster College for business, Springfield College for teaching credentials and Seton Hall for graduate studies in education.

George devoted his life to independent education in schools around the country, including Newark Academy, Fort Worth Country Day School, and Peck School. His special passion was to join the administration of schools that were struggling, and to rebuild and reorganize them to insure their futures. He took particular pride and pleasure in teaching and coaching hockey and football at the same time.

He thrived on getting the best from his students. He felt that as long as his students tried their best in class, he would allow them to participate in sports and never set arbitrary grade requirements for participation. He had a knack for understanding what was important.

George married Phyllis Wilding in 1959 and they raised two wonderful children together — Timothy Burr of Cocoa, Florida and Margaret (Maggie) Cleveland Burr of Summerville, South Carolina.

After Phyllis’ death in 1988 George married Barbara Beach in Vergennes, Vermont.

He retired from the education world, and George and Barbara developed a hand crafting business which flourished for 28 years. No one could draw in a crowd like George with embellishments (real or imagined) about the origin of his crafting ideas.

George and Barbara moved to Brunswick, Maine from Cape Cod in 2007. He enjoyed many opportunities to volunteer, serving on the Board of the Friends of Curtis Library. Promoting the endowment program was his major contribution. It was very special to George that both of his children and his two grandchildren, Brett and Parker Cleveland, were all able to come and see him shortly before he died. George had a way of making anyone he was with feel that things were right with the world, his cozy twinkle, and his dazzling approach to life will be missed by all who loved him.

In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to the Curtis Friends Endowment Fund at the Curtis Memorial Library at 23 Pleasant Street, Brunswick, Maine 04011.

A party to celebrate his life will be held at the Brunswick Inn, 165 Park Row, Brunswick, on September 30 from 4 to 6 p.m.