George H. Northam Jr., 77, passed away at his home at Gloucester Point on Monday, April 16, 2012, with his family by his side.
Born on Oct. 20, 1934, George grew up in Church View, Va. He graduated from Middlesex High School and attended Richmond Professional Institute in Richmond, Va. He served three years in the Army Air Defense System.
In 1961, George began his farming career and began serving the county that he loved so much. He served on the Middlesex Planning Commission for 22 years; the Middle Peninsula Planning District for 10 years. He was a member and served as Director of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau. He was Vice-Chair of the Virginia Farm Bureau Marketing Association, served on the Middlesex, Mathews and Gloucester F.H.A. Board for four years and was Director of the Tidewater Soil and Conservation District for four years. George served on the Middlesex Board of Supervisors from 1975-1979, and also chaired the committee that wrote the Middlesex County Capital Improvement Program and chaired the Dragon Run Steering Committee.
George was a Master Mason of Masonic Lodge #83 in Urbanna, a charter member of the Middlesex County Lions Club, and a member of Hermitage Baptist Church. George was predeceased by his parents, Henry and Eva Northam, and his first wife, Elizabeth M. Northam.
He is survived by his wife, Alice L. Northam; three sons, George Richard Northam of Richmond, Joseph M. Northam of Richmond, and Mark D. Northam and wife Tammy of Prince George; two step-children, Dean Tillage of Gloucester Point, and Jill Tillage Brown and husband Rob of Richmond; two grandsons, Trent Northam of Richmond, and Connor Northam of Prince George, and two step-granddaughters, Logan and Lily Brown of Richmond. George is also survived by his sister, Suzanne Doley and husband Pete of Williamsburg, and several nieces and nephews.
George had a great sense of humor. He dearly loved his family and will be missed.
A visitation was held at Bristow-Faulkner Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Saluda on Tuesday from 7-8 p.m. Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m. by the Rev. Art Wolz and the Rev. Edward Harrow on Wednesday, April 18, 2012, at Hermitage Baptist Church, 94 Wares Bridge Road, Church View, Va. 23032; interment followed in the church cemetery. A reception was held in the Fellowship Hall of the church immediately following the services.
Memorial gifts may be made to the Central Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad, Box 790, Urbanna, Va. 23175 or Riverside Walter Reed Hospice, 7358 Main Street, Gloucester, Va. 23061.
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Drs. Ronald Haggerty, Pierre Martin, David Muffelman and Ms. Katherine Beamer and all the wonderful staff of Hospice for the excellent care that George received.