George Lawson Sollender Sr. Obituary
George was born November 20, 1926, his mother died at birth and his father could not care for him. So our grandmother Hazel adopted him after she miss carried her 9th child. Hazel and her husband Loring were in their glory. Loring died when my dad was about 14 and things got hard. Dad didn't much like school, so quit in the 9th grade to work at a machine shop to buy himself a car.
He loved that car. He then joined the Navy at 17 to go off to fight the war. My dad talked about everything he did in the war, except the war. All the fun things I can't repeat...lol. He met my mom in 1946, right after getting out of the service. They dated for 1 year and married June 7, 1947. I was born July 13, 1948, I'd say that was cutting it close.
Boy did they love one another, had 2 more children, my brother George and baby brother Billy. Life was good in the Sollender home. Dad loved hunting, fishing, and camping and that was our world growing up in the High Sierras every year. My dad couldn't wait to get out of the city. My dad was a machinist and worked at Bender Machines and quickly became shop supervisor.
They had to talk him into it, because he didn't want the job. He was the most popular supervisor they had. When he retired, they threw the biggest party for him. Even closed the shop, which never happened. After he retired they sold their home and moved to Cottonwood to be with his children, George and Sandi. Billy had been killed in an accident in 1978.
We all miss him and were very glad our parents were coming to live in the North State. We would be all together again. My mom passed 4 years after moving to Cottonwood. My dad lived another 28 years, still enjoying life. Now he is dancing in Heaven with the love of his life while Billy is playing their music. My dad lived the way he wanted.
Hunting and fishing was almost everything. Mule riding, packing in the mountains and loved his family. All who met my dad loved him. A jolly guy with a quick smile, great sense of humor, huge heart and big laugh. George was preceded in death by his wife Alice "Ali", son "Billy", parents Loring Sollender and Hazel Heard, brothers Bill and Loring Sollender.
George is survived by his daughter Sandi Palmer, son in law Richard Palmer, granddaughters Crystal Adams, Shelle O'Reilly, TIffany Palmer, Grandson Josh Palmer, son George Sollender, daughter in law Koni and grandsons Jeep and Christopher Sollender and many more grandchildren and great grandchildren.
