Stella George, a resident of Boulder Creek and Scotts Valley, was born to a loving Greek immigrant family in Brooklyn, New York.
She was the third of five sisters, all of whom were loving and dynamic. She attended all-girl schools through Hunter College of the State of New York, where she majored in mathematics and statistics. She continued her studies with courses in radio technology at Rutgers University and Princeton University.
After graduating, she was employed by the U.S. Signal Corps in Red Bank, N.J. for 6 years, working up mathematical diagrams for antenna improvements using radio techniques.
She went on to work for General Motors as a statistician in the Bonus Disbursement Department, calculating bonuses for top-level employees.
She met her future-husband, Kelly, through a young adults’ group at their church. They eventually married, built a family, and a wonderful life in New York and New Jersey. Kelly’s job at Mobil took them to Europe, where they lived for 15 years — 8 years in London, England, and 5 years in Athens, Greece. While in Europe, they developed their love of world travel.
After retirement in Sarasota, Fla., their travels became more extensive. They visited more than 120 countries and took an Around-The-World Cruise.
They also focused more time and energy on their other interests: dancing and boating. Stella had a particular love of watching ballet, and Kelly the opera, so they regularly attended both.
However, they both loved doing rather than watching even more. Swing, country, and waltz were all part of their extensive dance repertoire. They became active in the Power Squadron, a power-boat club.
Besides boating excursions, Stella taught the Skipper Saver Course in Sarasota. Together, they ran volunteer charting expeditions which provided the data to update official water depth maps.
Stella had a strong wit, honing her dry humor and repartee by growing up in New York, and with her intelligent and strong-willed sisters. Her intelligence and high-energy were intense and really only matched by Kelly’s.
Stella was always lovingly involved with her family both immediate and extended. She remembered fondly the times the whole clan of five sisters, spouses and children would get together for birthdays, holidays or whenever possible. Eventually, family members moved away, but they all remain close to this day.
After more than 15 wonderful retirement years in their Siesta Key, Fla. home (self-dubbed Paradise), Kelly passed away a few months after their 50th anniversary.
It was very hard for her to lose her life partner.
The family filled the void, and eventually she moved to Boulder Creek with her youngest son, Ted, and daughter-in-law, Lynette.
Her daughter Sally also moved to the area for a few years to be close to her mother. Stella had a number of happy years in Boulder Creek and at Oak Tree Villa in Scotts Valley. She eventually moved to Paradise Villa, where she was lovingly cared for in her final years.
Stella is survived by her children: Sally of Wales, UK; Ted (Lynette) of Boulder Creek; and Doug (Elizabeth) of Watertown, Conn.; her sister Christina, as well as grandchildren Fawn, Tricia and Beth (Doug), Rhea and Jason (Ted), Jasmine (Sally), and Ann Jeanette, Christina and Eric (Richard-deceased).
Stella was preceded by her husband, Kelly, in 2003 and her son, Richard, in 2008.
Funeral services will be held at Santa Cruz Memorial Mission Chapel, 1927 Ocean Street in Santa Cruz on Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014 at 1:30 p.m. with Fr. Milutin Janjic of Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church officiating.
