George Lusher, Jr.

George Lusher Jr was born on October 8, 1928 in Aurora, Illinois to William Lusher and Ida Hertel and passed away on April 13, 2020. He spent his formative years in the Saint Anthony’s Park neighborhood of St. Paul and often reflected on what a wonderful place it was. He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in mechanical engineering in 1951 and immediately entered the Air Force, serving as a flight crew navigator, a career that he maintained as a reservist until his retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel in January 1976. George also had an impressive engineering career, earning his professional engineering license and culminating in his service as the Chief Administer of the Metropolitan Waste Control Commission.   It was during his college years that he met the love of his life, Anita Phillips. George and Anita were a rare couple – always delighting in one another’s company and the home they made on the St. Croix river. Throughout his life, George would often say about his Anita, “She is such a delightful woman!”, even into his nineties, thrilled with his good fortune.    George was a family man. He took his wife and three children on many wonderful family vacations – from the North Shore of Lake Superior to the mountains of Glacier Park in Montana. The memories of those adventures live on in the hearts of his children. During their retirement years, he and Anita loved to visit National Parks in their motorhome.   George had a powerful mind and a keen intellect that was coupled with a very sweet nature. He loved the series of dogs that were part of his family with great enthusiasm. His last companion, a little dog named Millie, was the light of his life these last few years after he lost Anita.    George will be greatly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his children, George Lusher, James Lusher and Mary Lusher; his grandchildren, Gina Newkirk, Buddy Lusher and Maya Lusher; his great grandchildren Liam and Rowan Newkirk and a granddaughter that has yet to make her appearance.   Good-bye George. You lived a life of honor and responsibility and were greatly loved by your family.