George F. Bernardin ’55

George, born July 8, 1933, in Andover, Mass., died Feb. 18, 2017, after a sudden illness at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Mass. He graduated from Phillips Academy, Princeton, and Harvard Law School.

A dedicated counselor, George also served as director of corporate purchasing and transportation at Saint-Gobain until his retirement in 1991. He ran a private law practice in Worcester for 20 years after retirement.

Known for service to the community, George lent his expertise in planning, law, and finance to help organizations thrive. Signal in this community service was the dedication of the George F. Bernardin Oxford House, a residential facility for at-risk teenage boys.

George treasured his time spent with family every summer at Rye Beach, N.H., and maintaining extensive gardens at home.

A gifted gardener, he contributed to the transformative growth of the Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston from its inception through its development into a regional and state treasure, serving as honorary trustee.

George lent his leadership to protecting and preserving open spaces. With his wife, Barbara, he embraced travel adventures to far-flung locales: from Antarctica to Petra, Jordan; to St. Petersburg to South Africa. Barbara survives him, as well as daughter Susan ’88 and son John.