George L. Bibbins

George L Bibbins George Littleton Bibbins passed away peacefully at his home in Bowie, Maryland on October 7, 2017.  He was 81 years old.George was the oldest child of Paul and Lillie Bibbins and a true son of Virginia's Eastern Shore.  Raised in the family farming business near Cape Charles, his values of faith, positivity, good deeds, honesty and hard work are an example to his family and many who knew him. After graduating from Virginia State College in 1958, George joined the US Army and first served as a Quartermaster Platoon Leader in Frankfurt, Germany.  While there, George met Helga Werdecker - a kindergarten teacher, who was preparing to move to New York City. Fortunately George was reassigned to New York City in 1961, and after affirming their shared values, George and Helga married in 1964.  Their oldest daughter Kirsten Beatrice was born in Germany in 1965, their son George Geoffrey in California in 1969, and their daughter Nicole Marice in Illinois in 1971.   In addition to Germany, George served internationally in Korea (1967), Vietnam (1969, during the war), and Panama (1972-76).  While in Panama, George was proud to participate in humanitarian efforts including earthquake relief in Nicaragua and Guatemala.   George also served in many U.S. locations - a primary reason North Dakota and Alaska were the only states that he had not been to. In 1976, George was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given charge of the 561st Maintenance Battalion in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. While there, he also became increasingly active in the Catholic Church and eventually converted to Catholicism. George and the family moved to Bowie, Maryland in 1978, where he served in his final military assignment at Ft. Meade.  He retired from the Army in 1981 after twenty three years of service, and began serving his local communities directing school food service programs in Baltimore County and Prince George's County until 1999.  His background, as well as Helga's activities supporting less fortunate people in our community, led George to remain active after retiring from the school system, as a consultant and volunteer in school food service development, and delivering and preparing food for homeless people. Throughout his life, George was the backbone of his family and supported Helga and his children's educational and professional work (Helga - Education, Kirsten - Medicine; George - Environmental Science; Nicole - International Affairs). He also supported his children in their marriages (Kirsten to Patrick Adegboyega Domingo; George to Alisa Boyd; Nicole to Santiago Sedaca).  He was a particularly proud and beloved grandfather to his five grandchildren - Stephen George Domingo, Ella Beatrice Bibbins, and Jacob Paul, Timothy Luke, and Sophia Elizabeth Sedaca.   George was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992 and fought this disease quietly and bravely until the end.  During his last years and months, he remained as ever focused on supporting the family, spending time with his wife of 53 years, traveling to California in May to participate in his oldest grandchild Stephen's college graduation and granddaughter Ella's first communion.  George died peacefully overnight in his home on October 7, one day after celebrating his youngest grandchild Sophia's birthday. George is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, brother Paul Bibbins Jr., nephew Paul Bibbins III, aunts Oner Pearl Bridges, Loretta Bibbins Jolley, and Arlene Bibbins Young, and numerous cousins.  He was preceded in death by his parents Lillie and Paul Bibbins, and his sister Frances Beatrice Bibbins Latimer.