HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (BNc) — At the age of 78, George F. Wachter passed away on Monday, Jan. 26, at a Huntsville hospital. In December he had gone in for asthma treatments. He contracted MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection, and did not recover.

A daughter, Diana, commented: “Most everyone said they will miss his smile, hugs, and hello’s.”

georgewachter2008George was a member of the Memorial Parkway Church of Christ in Huntsville, where he served as a deacon for two years, being in charge of ushering and greeting visitors. He was baptized into Christ in 1968 by Skip Stewart at the Mastin Lake Road congregation in Huntsville, where he taught the teen Bible class for many years.

In 1973 he began preaching at Stony Point, Tennessee where he served for six years. In 1979 he started preaching for the church at Elkwood, Alabama and was there for twelve years. He then worked for 13 years with the church in McBurg, Tennessee.

These last two congregations are near Huntsville, Alabama where George was employed by the Bendix Company, and then worked for Huntsville Utilities for 15 years as a water engineer until he retired in 1993.

George loved to sing, and in years past when he was still in good health he attended all the area-wide singings. He especially loved to attend the Diana Singing at Diana, Tennessee, a two-day singing held twice a year that starts at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, lasts until the wee hours of Saturday morning, and then starts again at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday and lasts until 11:30 p.m. About 3000 regularly attend.

George was an avid ham radio operator and attended the annual ham fest.

georgewachter1950George was born at Hornell, New York on Aug. 15, 1930 to George John Wachter and Lillian Marie (Costello) Wachter. He attended Hornell Senior High School from 1946-1950. He joined the National Guard and served for two years. Then he enlisted in the Air Force for four years.

On Nov. 3, 1951 George married the love of his life, Edith Jewel Blocker. He is survived by his wife of 57 years; five sons, Dennis Wachter, Joe and Linda Wachter, Steve and Kim Wachter, John and Rhonda Wachter, Jack and Cheryl Wachter; three daughters, Linda and Joe Schopper, Diana and Richard Lawson, and Eva and Dale Jahnke; a brother, James and Teresa Wachter; 18 grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

edithgeorgewachterThe funeral service was held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 30, at the Memorial Parkway Church of Christ in Huntsville with Jason Moon and John Denny officiating. Interment was at the Valhalla Memorial Gardens.

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