George Mitchell Somerville, Sr. departed this life on Friday, September 3, 2021. Named George Mitchell Tuner at birth, George Sr. was born on December 4, 1926 to the late Sarah Elizabeth Turner and Mitchell Somerville, both of Hollywood, MD.
A bright, somewhat mischievous child, he showed an interest and aptitude for building things at an early age. At the early age of 10, he was building a birdhouse one early Sunday morning and was disciplined for working on the “Lord’s Day”.
After attending school, and at the age of 16 years old, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a medic and ambulance driver (he could still remember his ambulance number many years later – Ambulance No. 7) in World War II.
During a break after the war, he returned to St. Mary’s County and worked at the local hospital, where he met Mary Ruth Neale. Upon his return stateside, George Sr. and Mary Ruth were married on October 12, 1957 and remained together for more than 50 years until her death.
A true Renaissance man, George Sr. had a keen interest in cars, was a decent mechanic, and a racing car enthusiast, spending many weekends working on his cars and at various auto races. He had a restored 1974 Ford Ranchero that he often took to local and regional car shows and county fairs, winning multiple trophies (70+), and driving it in military parades. He also enjoyed fishing, building, and hunting – all skills he learned from his great-grandfather and grandfather, who, in addition to being a commercial fisherman, was a boat builder and a furniture maker. He enjoyed music – was a decent guitar player, and he loved dancing – would often refer to himself as “the dancing man”, and could often be found on the dance floor at parties and family reunions.
In addition to his military service, George Sr. was a person who always had multiple streams of income and jobs, often two (or more) at any given time. He had a strong work ethic (often referred to himself as a ‘workaholic’), liked nice things, and wasn’t afraid to work for them, and worked until well into his 80s. He worked at a number of jobs and fields, including working at the local hospital, in construction – teaching himself to run every piece of equipment on-site, and eventually becoming a heavy-duty equipment and tower crane operator, as a part-time gas station and a laundry-mat attendant, and movie theater projectionist, and an ice and a fuel oil, auto parts, gravel and earth deliveryman, amongst others.
George Sr. was preceded in death by his parents, the late Sarah Turner and the late Mitchell Somerville; his great-aunt, Agnes ‘Marie’ Turner Young; his brother, the late Clarence Turner Evans; and his three first cousins with whom he was raised – the late Roberta Turner Clark, the late Richard (Dick) Fenwick, and the late Joseph Clark.
George Sr. is survived by his stepson, Roy S. Chesley I (Jacklyn); daughters Joyce A. White (Richard); Deborah Khavkin; Barbara Somerville Hasty (William); George Somerville, Jr.; and Clarence Somerville. His grandchildren, Dr. Michelle Buchanan (Herb), Robin Bowman, Roy Chesley II (Juanita), Dante Chesley (Jerri), Shanay Overton (Anthony), and Ian Somerville, Danielle Fenwick, and Jeremy Clayton; sister-in-laws Helen Hebb (William), Gertrude Veronica Carter, and Theresa Collins (James); his nieces Anna Fenwick Taylor (Joseph), Marsha Blackwell, and Deborah Clark, as well as a host of other nieces and nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great nieces and great-great nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and extended family and close family friends.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy, correspondence, and donations may be forwarded to the family to: c/o George M. Somerville, Sr., P.O. Box 54, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Contributions in his memory can also be made to the Patuxent Habitat for Humanity, Lexington Park, MD, as well as the Casey House – Montgomery County Hospice, Rockville, MD location.
A public viewing will be held at the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD on Thursday, September 16, 2021 from 9:00 A.M.– 10:30 A.M. At the family’s request, masks/face coverings will be required. Interment will be private.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.mgfh.com. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.A. & Crematory, Leonardtown, MD.
