George K. Degnon, 82, of McLean, Virginia, died on Oct. 9, 2022, after a valiant 11-year battle with metastatic prostate cancer. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family.
He was born on Aug. 2, 1940, in Jersey City, New Jersey, where he grew up and went to school.
George spent three years with Trinity Missions in Alabama, studying to become a priest, before deciding he would serve in other ways. He then attended Marist High School in Bayonne and St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, and he was so proud to be a Peacock, especially as he watched the basketball team’s success this year. Following graduation, he went into the Army and was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was a medic and went to jump school, becoming a jumpmaster.
He married the love of his life, Marge, in 1964. Following his service in the Army, he taught High School Latin at Midland Park High School in New Jersey. After a year, he was recruited to join the New Jersey Medical Society followed by 13 years at the American Academy of Pediatrics.
In 1979, he and Marge started their own association management company, Degnon Associates Inc, where he spent several years lobbying for the health and well-being of children and public health. In addition to Marge, his wife of 58 years, he is survived by their four children: George (Kristin) Degnon, Meg (Ray) Gorham, Christine Degnon, and Laura Degnon, and 12 grandchildren: George, Brittney, Garrett and Braeden Degnon; Ryan, Kyle, Mary and Elly Gorham; and Jake, Mackenzie, Zack and Cody Caldwell-Degnon; sisters Rosemary Eng and Joan (Ken) Sheedy; and brother Tom (Rosalin) Degnon, and several nieces and nephews.
George loved his family and had an amazingly strong faith. He also loved boating, fishing, gardening, woodworking, and being by the water. Since the 1980s, George and Marge enjoyed spending time at their second home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He had a passion for helping others and frequently volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society, including spearheading a micro-lending program to help break the cycle of poverty. George organized several mission trips to Mississippi and Puerto Rico in the past few years, to help with repairs after devastating hurricanes. He was happiest when he was helping others, always living his motto of “Loving your neighbor is loving God.”
