Richard John George was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1929. He was the first of three sons born to Richard and Marie George. He was around ten years old when the Great Depression ended and WWII began. 
Richard attended Saint Mary’s College, Winona, MN, which was run by the Christian Brothers, and obtained a BA. He considered entering the Christian Brothers but ultimately decided against it.
Richard joined the Marine Corps in 1952 and served one year of active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant during the Korean War and two additional years of non-active duty. He then used the GI bill to pursue an MA in philosophy at the University of Berkeley. It was at the International House of Berkeley he met his future wife, Breda Bevc, a recent immigrant from Slovenia who was studying for her bachelor’s degree in French. The two eventually married and raised four children together.
After completing his MA, Richard went on to study at the University of Notre Dame. One of his teachers was Charles De Koninck. After receiving a doctorate in philosophy, he began his teaching career at the St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. He eventually moved to the University of Santa Clara, a Jesuit institution. Later he took a job as chairman of the philosophy department at the University of San Diego, a private Catholic university. He became increasingly dissatisfied with the direction Catholic higher education was heading in, and consequently he joined with others of like mind in the endeavor of founding a genuinely Catholic college, Thomas Aquinas College. He taught at TAC from 1974-1982. He then taught for a number of years at the Catholic seminary in Camarillo, CA.
He is survived by his daughter, Marie I. George and his brother Russell E. George.


My dad in the backyard of our house in upper Ojai

Wedding of Richard George with Breda Bevc

Bakersfield National Cemetery

Three photos of my father: A recent one from December of last year while on a walk; one of his wedding; and one of his yard in Upper Ojai.

Marie, I will always fondly remember your father. He was  diligent and gracious, and an excellent teacher. He was also very kind and thoughtful towards me personally, especially when you and I were freshman together in college. He and you and your family are in my prayers.

My father was a staunch Catholic who dedicated his life to Catholic education. Even before I knew what philosophy was, I remember my father having fascinating discussions with Marcus Berquist. As I grew older, I became more and more aware that the reasons we had moved from one place to another was because my father sought to teach at a place that was genuinely Catholic. This was during the period where the vast majority of Catholic colleges were becoming more and more secular. It eventually came to the point where he, along with the other founders of Thomas Aquinas College, saw that the only solution was to start a new college, one that would be faithful to the Magisterium and intellectually rigorous, drawing on the Thomistic tradition and the works that have shaped Western civilization. Though he did not teach there for the earliest years of the college (he had four kids), he went on to teach there as soon as it appeared that the college was financially stable. I remember him sitting at his desk immersed in what he was reading. He prepared his classes diligently, and he enjoyed interacting with his students.
My father loved his wife deeply. He always made sure she had the best kitchen gadgets. He encouraged her to take classes in Spanish and music. He was happy to send her on trips to Europe and elsewhere, so long as he didn’t have to go (he was a homebody). His prudent financial planning allowed her to be a stay-at-home mom, as well as also providing the family with lovely homes.
As a father, he made sure that we had every educational opportunity, including good instruction in the Faith. He kept our cars well maintained and put them at the disposal of us kids, so that we could get jobs. He enjoyed taking us on hikes and to the beach. He taught us to be organized, disciplined, and punctual. I am grateful to him for all these things, and above all for the solid Catholic faith he passed on to me and my TAC education.


RICHARD JOHN GEORGE

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