James Oliver George

1942 – 2024

James Oliver George was born in Reading, Cooks County Pennsylvania on September 15, 1942 to Oliver Miller George and Avis Aileen George. He grew up in Long Beach California with his two sisters Valerie and Mercedes.

It was while in the US Air Force that Jim met his life-long friends and band-mates Bill Ims and Jim Desatoff. The trio formed The Villagers and went on to play coffee shop gigs and make an album together. The band reunited periodically throughout their lives to play for friends and family, but always kept in touch as great friends.

Jim attended Long Beach State and got his masters degree in engineering from UC Santa Barbara before taking a job at Santa Barbara Research Center (Raytheon) where he worked until he retired.

There might be nothing Jim loved more than to get people playing music. It was rare to see him without his guitar and if you even mentioned an instrument, he’d be inviting you to play. He led lunch-time music groups at work and formed the East Valley Boys at El Montecito Presbyterian Church where he was a member for close to fifty years.

Jim is survived by his children Jimi, Kimberly, Hillary and Travis and step children Gypsy and Annalaura as well as their mothers Jill and Hildy. Jim is also survived by grandchildren and step grandchildren Ryan and Trevor Smith, James and Jadyn George, Simon Bilak-George, Christoph and Max Perelyubskiy, Nels and Willem Martin, Helen and John-Luke Chuang. He is also survived by many wonderful friends, including his beloved bandmates.

A Farewell Party for Jim will be held at his address in Carpinteria on May 18 from 1-4. Please contact hillarygeorge@gmail.com for details.