George McGuire, age 97 of Litchfield, MN died on November 29, 2020 at the Meeker Manor in Litchfield, MN.   A walk through visitation will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday December 14, 2020 at Johnson Hagglund Funeral and Cremation Service followed by an 11:00 AM graveside service at Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield, MN. 

 

To honor George McGuire with a written note, video or picture go to: http://www.graywoodfilms.com/mcguire-funeral.com  

 

Your submissions will be broadcast on YouTube as an online funeral service on Saturday, December 19th at 10 AM CST.  To view this funeral service, go to https://bit.ly/39XaxHI.  

One way to define the life of George McGuire is to say he left a legacy.  A legacy is part of the person that lives on long after they have passed away.  George was a master at it.

 

Legacy of Family

George Lawrence McGuire, Jr’s life ended on simple terms just as it began.  He was born on October 24, 1923 to George and Etta McGuire who lived in St. Paul.  His parents wanted the best life for him and his brothers Lloyd and Lee so they moved to work the land in Ogilvie, Mankato and Lake Crystal, MN. 

 

His high school years found him active in 4-H and was a charter member of that school’s FFA chapter. He even was on the boxing team and school theatre.  That is where he met classmate Francis Fredericksen who lived on the neighboring farm.

 

After high school in Lake Crystal, he soon married Francis in 1941.  They lived in Layfayette, Springfield for a short time and then settled on their farm in Forest City in 1946.  After retiring from farming in 1994, they moved to Litchfield. 

 

Their love brought them five children: Larry, Marilyn, Kathy, Fred and Marsha.  And their marriage lasted for 71 years before Fran passed away in 2013.  Larry (Litchfield) married Judy LaCroix, Marilyn (Farmington) tied the knot with Doug Kronbeck, Kathy (Danube) got hitched to Ken Johnson, Fred and Becky Gaytan (Litchfield) said “I do” and Marsha (Anchorage) walked down the aisle with Chris Ball. This group of farm kids provided 15 grandchildren.  They in turn provided 42 great-grandchildren whom they loved and cared for as great grandparents do. George and Fran prayed for their family every day.

 

Legacy of Farming

George and Fran worked diligently on their farm.  They raised turkeys, milked cows, tended hogs and later bred registered Angus cattle.  Their biggest legacy was irrigation.  The soil on their homestead was sandy.  Five years of drought lead them to pioneer the first irrigation well in Meeker County in 1962 with electricity as the source of power.  The well was only 52 feet deep and boasted a capacity far beyond what was needed. This provided them with consistently high corn yields for over three decades.

 

Legacy of Community Service

George made it a priority to serve his community.  He was active in the Forest City PTA.  He was clerk of the township board for 16 years and a director of the Meeker Coop Light and Power for 9 years.

 

Legacy of Faith

George was also active in his church.  He and his wife began attending First Baptist Church (now Cornerstone Church) in 1957.  They were very active throughout their lives.  George taught Sunday School for 20 years, served on the Church Board and helped in many other ways.  His service of the Lord also led him to be active in Gideon’s International starting in 1978.  He handed out hundreds of Scriptures and lead Bible studies in the local jail for many years to encourage inmates to live a life of faith in Jesus.

 

George would want to let you know that his work here is now done. He received a call, an offer he couldn’t refuse from on high, for an appointment from which he will not be returning. This assignment comes with a huge sign-on bonus, a reunion with Jesus, plus family and friends he has not seen in a long time. His new mission takes him to a wonderful place where he wants you to join him.  A place where music, laughter and love are guaranteed.