George Clyde Webb went home to be with our Lord and Savior on January 22, 2022 at the age of 93. He passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family.
George was born on March 13, 1928 in Dew, Texas to Clyde and Ione Webb. George was the second oldest of eight children. From a very early age, George’s parents instilled in him the importance of a strong work ethic and a strong education. George lived through the depression in Fairfield, Texas where he worked as a young boy picking cotton and shining shoes at the local gas station.
George proudly served his country in the United States Navy during World War II. When he turned 17, he enlisted in the Navy and served in Pearl Harbor after the Japanese attack. While serving, George saw a need for transportation for servicemen and created a shuttle to transport servicemen around the island.
After serving at Pearl Harbor, he attended college at Southern Methodist University. This is where he met his sweetheart, Goldie Mae Caldwell, on a blind date. The two married on October 14, 1949.
Following SMU, George went to pharmacy school at the University of Houston. While attending pharmacy school, George worked at Faith Home, a home for abused and neglected foster children. George coached and mentored over 200 children making a lasting impact on each of them. After graduating from pharmacy school, George and Goldie moved to Goldie’s hometown of McKinney where he became a partner at Northside Pharmacy, a pharmacy and soda shop on the north side of the downtown square.
George quickly engaged himself in McKinney community. He joined the Jaycees and was instrumental in obtaining the building that housed McKinney’s first community center. The center provided a safe place for youth in McKinney. Webb also served on the Parks board for many years where he helped advance the expansion of park services throughout the community.
Webb had a tremendous impact on the public schools, serving on the McKinney ISD School Board for many years. While on the School Board, he was instrumental in the process of desegregating the school district. He also helped desegregate the Pecan Grove Cemetery while leading the Cemetery Board. According to Webb, “I figured we were all going to be together in Heaven, why could we not be underground together?”
George Webb was a pillar of the community. He is the only person to be named McKinney Citizen of the Year twice, in 1954 and 2005. He and his best friend, Dr. Mack Hill, were the first two people to have parks named after them while still living. No matter the time of day, Dr. Hill was available to see patients and George was available to provide their prescriptions. George was known to meet people late in the night at the pharmacy to ensure they got the medicine they needed. Due to his impact on the community, George was also presented the Quality of Life Award by the McKinney Community Development Corporation in 2007.
George was also actively involved in the McKinney Rotary Club for over sixty years. He served as president and in multiple other leadership roles. One of George's fondest rotary memories was the time he helped organize a train trip to the rotary convention in New York. The highlight of the trip was having a piano on the train and singing songs with his fellow rotarians. Webb was also actively involved in the Texas Pharmacy Association, serving as president and in various roles within the Association. George and Goldie rarely missed a pharmacy convention. Webb attended over 50 consecutive conventions. According to other TPA members, George was a constant advocate for small-town, independent pharmacies.
George and Goldie were active members of First United Methodist Church in McKinney. They were long standing members of the Fellowship Sunday School class. George served on multiple leadership committees and taught Sunday school to the adults and youth in the church.
However, George’s true passion was spending time with his family. A tradition he picked up from Goldie’s father, Gibson Caldwell, was to always host Sunday lunch. After attending church, these lunches welcomed everyone in the family, and usually included guests or even the occasional stranger. These lunches spanned several decades and the common theme was that all were welcome. George started a tradition of gathering at San Miguel's restaurant on Friday nights with family. George said this was easily the highlight of his week.
George was preceded in death by his parents, Clyde and Ione Webb; his wife, Goldie; his brothers, John and Billy Webb; and his sisters, Wanda Arnold, Martha Hollemon, and Betty Webb.
George is survived by his daughters, Becky Stone and Betty Petkovsek and her husband, Jim, all of McKinney, Texas; grandchildren, Danny Ledbetter and his wife, Anne, Laurie Culpepper and her husband, Doug, Sara Mae Lott and her husband Justin, Rebecca Fulenchek and her husband, Brandon, Hannah Zillmer and her husband, Chris, and Hunter Stone; 11 great-grandchildren; brothers, Max Webb and wife, Diane, of Bulverde, Texas, and Solon Webb and wife, Phyllis, of Ashland, Oregon; sister-in-law, Barbara Webb of Mount Vernon, Washington, along with many nieces and nephews that meant so much to him. All of George's friends and family were so very precious to him. They fully understand George’s call to brighten the corner wherever they are.
Family and friends are invited to a come-and-go visitation on Thursday, January 27, 2022 from 11:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas, 75013.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, January 28, 2022 at First United Methodist Church of McKinney, 315 North Church Street, McKinney, Texas, 75069. Interment will follow at Pecan Grove Cemetery in McKinney, Texas.
The family respectfully asks those attending the visitation and/or funeral service to please wear a face mask. The funeral service will be livestreamed at www.sharingtheheart.org/ceremonies.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of George Webb to First United Methodist Church of McKinney (www.sharingtheheart.org/ceremonies) or to the McKinney Rotary Foundation, George Webb Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 552, McKinney, Texas, 75070.