George D. Besler ’26

GEORGE BELSER DIED Oct. 25, 1994, at his apartment in N.Y.C., after a long illness. He was 92. He lived most of his youth in Plainfield, N.J., and with his brother, William, entered Princeton from the Hun School. They roomed together in Pyne for four years and were members of Key and Seal.

After graduation, George moved to the West Coast, where he and Bill bought the Doble Steam Motors Co. and plant in Emeryville, Calif. This began a lifelong interest in products using steam, particularly lightweight, high-pressure units. At the same time, George developed an interest in flying and obtained his pilot's license, which he kept until he was almost 80. He and Bill put these two interests together in 1933, when they installed a steam engine and boiler in an airplane and flew it at the Oakland airport, where the cameras recorded the flight for the media. During WWII, the brothers developed an artificial smokescreen generator that was used by the Navy, among other products.

George married Doris Wadley in 1944. They travelled extensively, but usually spent part of the winter in Florida and part of the summer on Centre Island in Oyster Bay. Doris died in 1991. George is survived by two nephews, H. Brooks Gardner '44 and William G. B. Gardner '53, and two nieces, Jane Gardner Mallory and Ann Besler Nicoletti, to all of whom we extend our sympathy.