[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 10, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E840]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF GEORGE FRANCIS SCARBOROUGH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2011

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, George Francis Scarborough, 77, 
of Pensacola, FL passed away peacefully Wednesday, May 4, 2011 
surrounded by his family.
  George Francis Scarborough was born on Good Friday, March 30, 1934 in 
Lexington, KY. The son of George Buskie and Ada Wheat Buskie, George 
spent his early years in Miami, FL and San Diego, CA. He moved to 
Milton, FL in 1946 when his family was transferred to Whiting Field.
  George graduated from Milton High School and remained close to many 
of his classmates, hosting Milton High reunion events over the past 20 
years. After graduating from Milton, he returned to Lexington where he 
attended the University of Kentucky from 1952-1956. There he fell in 
love with Kentucky basketball and his future wife, Mary Joanna Clark. 
George and Mary Jo were married on August 14, 1955 at Second Avenue 
Baptist Church in Rome, Georgia. George graduated from the University 
of Kentucky the next year with a B.S. degree in Business.
  George Scarborough served in the U.S. Army from 1955-1957, and was 
stationed at Ft. Benning, GA and Ft. Polk, LA. Carolyn Elizabeth 
Scarborough was born to George and Mary Jo in 1957 while they were 
stationed at Ft. Benning. They went on to have two more children, 
George Clark Scarborough was born in Rome, GA in 1960 and Charles 
Joseph Scarborough was born in Atlanta, GA in 1963.
  While in Atlanta, George worked as a manufacturing engineer for 
Lockheed. He was proud to work on the C-5A, the C-130, and the L-1011 
projects. He often said his work at Lockheed was the favorite of all 
his jobs. George was transferred to Lockheed's Meridian, MS plant in 
1969 after the L-1011 assembly line was moved to Meridian. In 1973, he 
began work at National Homes as a purchasing agent and was soon 
transferred to Elmira, NY. During his time in Upstate New York, he took 
a job at American LaFrance as an Industrial Engineer.
  In 1978, George and his family had the opportunity to move to 
Pensacola, FL where he began working with Mary Jo, who at that time was 
a director for the Miss National Teenage pageant. In 1983, the 
Scarboroughs and Carolyn Hawkins founded the Miss American Coed 
Pageant. George was named the national director. George Scarborough 
took great pride in the fact that the organization consistently 
promoted patriotism, community service and a strong academic record. 
Through extraordinary focus and hard work, George and Mary Jo 
Scarborough's pageant organization became the largest in the United 
States within a few years. He enjoyed meeting families across America 
throughout the year and going to the national pageant each summer in 
Hawaii.
  Faith has always played a great role in George's life. In 1978, he 
and his family joined First Baptist Church in Pensacola where George 
was a deacon, taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. His greatest 
joy came from his volunteer work at Samaritan Hands.
  George was the proud grandfather of nine grandchildren, Ian, Ginger 
and Julie Ward, Emily and Benjamin Scarborough, and Joey, Andrew, Kate 
and Jack Scarborough. His love of baseball and other sports kept him 
engaged as a coach throughout his adult life and in his final years he 
enjoyed keeping score at his grandsons' baseball games. He was also an 
avid fan of the Atlanta Braves and Kentucky Wildcats and for many years 
attended the Breeder's Cup.
  Survivors include wife, Mary Jo Scarborough, Pensacola, FL; daughter, 
Carol Ward (John) and their children, Julie and Ginger Ward of 
Jacksonville, FL and Ian Ward of Orlando, FL; son, George Scarborough 
(Sara) of Gulf Breeze, FL and their children Emily and Benjamin 
Scarborough of Gulf Breeze, FL; son, Joe Scarborough (Susan) of New 
York, NY and their children Joey Scarborough of New York, NY and Andrew 
Scarborough of Pensacola, FL and Kate and Jack Scarborough of New York, 
NY; he is also survived by his brothers, Chuck Scarborough of 
California, Scott Scarborough of Nevada and sister, Margaret 
Scarborough of Oregon.
  Visitation will be held from 3:00-5:00 pm Sunday, May 8, 2011 at 
First Baptist Church with Funeral services beginning at 5:00 pm with 
Dr. Barry Howard officiating. Private Family Entombment will follow at 
Bayview Memorial Park.
  The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Sacred Heart 
Hospital, Dr. John Bray, Pippa Nicholson-Kuenn, Don Gaetz and TLC 
Caregivers, Lou Donaldson, Jan Bowersox, Alan Waren, Aunt Caroline, 
Stephanie Smart, and all the family and friends who showed an 
outpouring of love and support over the last year and a half. We could 
not have survived without you. The family also asks that donations be 
made to Samaritan Hands in lieu of flowers.
  Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

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