George G. Cassell

**Note Date Changes***   Friends may visit with George's family on Thursday, October 3rd, from 4:00-7:00 PM, at Langeland Family Funeral Homes, 411 East Centre Avenue, Portage. His funeral service will be held on Friday, October 4th, at 11:00 AM, at Pathfinder Church, 8740 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage, MI 49002, where friends can visit from 10:00-11:00 AM. A graveside service will be held at Fort Custer National Cemetery at 2:00 PM, with military honors. Donations in memory of George may be made to Centrica Care Navigators. Please share memories with his family at www.langelands.com

George was born June 15, 1933 to Abigail Gish. He joined the U.S. Army at age 17 and completed basic training in Fort Knox, Kentucky. After training he was stationed in Augsburg, Germany. While on a three day pass in Munich Germany he met the love of his life, Maria Reit, on December 1, 1951. They were married April 21, 1953. After being honorably discharged he and Maria made their way to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. George received his high school diploma from Gladstone High School. They moved to Plainwell Michigan in 1953 where George worked for Valley Metals. After moving to Portage Michigan in 1959, George began working for the Upjohn Company. In 1964 George and Maria welcomed twin boys, David and Jeffrey.

George continued working for the Upjohn Company until his retirement in 1990 at age 57. George and Maria loved to travel and made countless trips back to Germany to visit Maria’s family. Most notably in 1992, 1998, and 2001 with George’s brother Wayne and sister-in-law Jane traveling around the area, including attending the Munich Oktoberfest one year. Additionally, in 2016 they traveled back to Munich with family to attend the wedding of their nephew Robert. They also traveled to Australia to visit Maria’s brother Sepp and sister-in-law Margot and family. Over the years Maria and George also enjoyed many Caribbean cruises together as well as bus trips with friends to Branson Missouri.

While in Germany, George loved to spend time visiting the castles in Bavaria. He was fascinated by King Ludwig II of Bavaria and his most famous castle Neuschwanstein. When visiting Bavaria you could always find George in a beer garden having a cold German beer. He particularly loved sitting in the beer garden at Hotel Mueller where he could enjoy a beer while viewing the Neuschwanstein castle in the distance. 

George was an avid harmonica player. He was a member of the Wolverine Harmonica Club. George and the other club members frequently played at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. He also loved playing at church services. George loved to putz, whether it was yard work or washing and waxing his car (which he did frequently!). He always had the shiniest car in the church parking lot. George took long weekends up north with coworkers to play golf (although he did not play golf). He and his buddy Bruce would do all the cooking for the guys before and after the golf rounds. George loved his Detroit Lions. You could always find him in front of the TV on Sunday afternoons rooting for the Lions. George always had to have the latest and greatest TV technology (Plasma, LED or QLED) to watch his sports, even though he never owned a computer or cell phone.

George was preceded in death by his mother, Abigail (Gish) Stone, his stepfather, Melvin Cassell, his sister-in-law, Jane Cassell, his sisters, Lois Gail Stone, Dorothy Jean (Cassell) Haynes, Dorothy May (Stone) Kaminski and brother, Lowell “John” Stone.

George is survived by his wife, Maria, his sons, David (Debra) Cassell and Jeffrey (Kimberly) Cassell, brothers, Wayne Cassell, Roger (Bonnie) Cassell and Carl “Butch” Stone as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends.