George Henry Jenkins

Jenkins, George Henry, age 87, of Waterford, WI, passed away November 29, 2016 at Aurora St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee with his loving wife, Patricia, by his side. George was born on October 24, 1929 to Clarence and Efrasinia (nee. Ponomarenko) Jenkins in Shanghai, China. George was educated in China for grades 1-3, and then his family moved back to the United States where he graduated high school in Van Wert, OH. George proudly served his country from 1948-1952 in the Air Force during the Korean War.
George holds a BA from Indiana Northern University and two PhD’s, one from Wayne State University in Michigan and another from Purdue University in Indiana covering the areas of Computer Science Education and Industrial Management. In 1952, George started his wide-ranging professional career as an engineering programmer with the General Electric Co. in Ft. Wayne, IN. Among several other positions, he has worked as a customer systems analyst with Xerox, a data processing manager for CBS’s Columbia Record Club, the world’s largest record club managing its conversion to computers, and he also worked at Capitol Records and Wayne County General Hospital. In 1978, after over 14 years of MIS and systems management, he became a college professor in Business Systems Analysis with the University of Findlay in OH, where he authored several text books in his field and retired at age 65.
George was lucky enough to live a very long and interesting life, certainly more than most people are allowed. And, most importantly, as he shared his many memories over the years, it was clear that he was able to spend the majority of it doing the things he liked to do, whether it was during his professional life in business and in academia or in his many relaxing retirement years. Over the years, he dabbled in meteorology, poetry writing, landscape painting, and wedding and newspaper photography, but he especially enjoyed his extensive sailing, writing, reading, travel and photography hobbies, taking walks with his various dogs, and engaging in interesting and stimulating conversations covering all topics with family and friends.
George is survived by loving wife, Patricia, three children from a former marriage: Deborah Randol, George Jenkins, Alan Jenkins, as well as two grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Inez Smith.
Inurnment with full military honors will take place at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery Friday September 1, 2017 11:00 AM, meet at the cemetery.. Mealy Funeral Home of Waterford is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of floral expressions of sympathy and in honor of his military service, George’s family asks that any donations go to Vets Roll, Inc., a charity that took him and other veterans to Washington DC in a memorable and emotionally-moving 2014 trip.