On Wednesday, February 22, 2023, George Elza Masters, of Nelson Twp., loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, passed away at the age of 82, and is now celebrating his eternal life with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He was born on July 10, 1940, in Worthington, West Virginia, to the late John J. and Mildred (nee Bodkin) Masters.
He was a member of Faith Evangelical Free Church, where he served as a trustee. George retired from General Motors/Packard Electric in 1998, after working 30+ years. He and his wife, Louise, married on July 3, 1965, and raised 4 children together, with whom he enjoyed passing down all of his wisdom and life lessons. When he and his wife were blessed with their grandchildren, George was proud to pass on the same values and knowledge to them. George was an outdoor enthusiast, to say the least; he had a passion for hunting, riding and caring for his horses, and spent much time sitting on his back porch, watching the hummingbirds put on their show. George was very passionate in his life-long love of guns and marksmanship. He was also known for being a master mechanic, and could fix anything and everything. George thoroughly enjoyed being in his garage, where he loved mentoring his son, and later, grandsons, on the how-tos of putting many Jeeps together; they even converted old lawnmowers into speed-induced hillbilly racecars for the back yard. He was also a model train enthusiast and photographer, as well as an avid John Wayne movie buff. George was a man of few words until it came time to share his hunting and racing stories, and at that time, his ear-bending skills would shine. He enjoyed “pushing your buttons” and “meddling” with people; this was his way of saying that he liked you. George took great pride in being the unofficial “Sheriff of Nelson” and assisting his community in safety; whenever there was a problem, many called him first. Love for his family was great, as was the impact George made on them and all who knew him; to say he will be missed is an understatement.
George will be deeply missed by his loving wife, Louise Masters (nee White); children, Annette Masters, Amber (Phil) Buchwalter, and Audra (Sam) Masters-Petrony; daughter-in-law, Robin Dutter-Masters; grandchildren, Joshua (Amanda) Masters, Emily Masters, Gracie Masters, Abigail Masters, Elijah Masters, Colton Masters, Libby Klatik, Kullen Buchwalter, Mateo Buchwalter, and Sarah (Fred) Hicken; great-grandchildren, Brian Masters, Caleb Masters, Sapphire Masters, and Madison Hicken; siblings, John (Monica) Masters, II, and Margaret Holcomb; nephews, James (Britton) Holcomb, Andrew (Heather) White; nieces, Ashley (Brett) Oakford and Lori (Brian) Styers, Sami (Shawn) Wiser, and Erica White, as well as many dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Brian Masters; nephew, Lloyd White, III, and niece, Detra Masters.
Per George’s wishes, he is to be cremated. There will be a Celebration of Life for George at the Faith Evangelical Free Church in the future. Please periodically check www.carlsonfuneralhomes.com for updates. Care for George was entrusted to Mallory-DeHaven-Carlson Funeral Home 8382 Center St. Garrettsville, Ohio.
Donations would be graciously accepted by Faith Evangelical Free Church, 10585 Windham Parkman Rd, Garrettsville, OH 44231, in George’s name, to honor his memory and the love of the congregation he was proud to serve. For online condolences, go to www.carlsonfuneralhomes.com.
