George Sidney Hoar

George S. Hoar peacefully passed away on March 8, 2017 in Salt Lake City. George was born September 5, 1931 in Great Bend, Kansas to Sherman S. and Lydia M. (Hommon) Hoar. In 1939 the family moved to Sterling, Colorado where George loved working on the farm. In 1949 he enrolled at Colorado A & M College. While in college, George obtained his pilot's license, where he began his passion for flying. In 1952 he reported for basic training in the Army and served time in Greenland and Goose Bay, Labrador. He received an honorable discharge as First Sergeant in 1954. George returned to Colorado A & M completing a degree in Animal Husbandry, then received a grant to propagate native plants for the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. In 1959 he received his Bachelors degree of science in Ornamental Horticulture.
George married his true love, Toni D. Earl, in Denver, Colorado on July 20, 1959. Together they had two children, Deidre Jo and Derek J. Hoar.
George started his career in the nursery and landscape business in Denver, Colorado, then on to Twin Falls, Idaho. In 1962 he moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. He managed Millcreek Gardens Nursery and Landscape Company becoming corporate treasurer and retired from Millcreek in 1992. During this time he became active and elected into many of the associations.
In 1966, he was executive director of the Utah Association of Nurseryman. In 1967 he represented Utah as its governor to the American Association of Nurseryman. In 1973 he became President of the Utah Association of Nurseryman. In 1976 he was recipient of the "Rampton Trees Award" for participation in the "Governors Million Trees for a Million People" program. In 1979 he served as president for the Nursery Association Executives of North America and was invited by First Lady, Mrs. Carter, to the White House awards ceremony. In 1983 he was elected Nurseryman of the Year. In 1990 he was elected President of the National Landscape Association. From 1992 through 2014 George worked for Kent Fitzgerald accounting firm. George was a member of the Black Hawk Duck Club. He was a charter member of International Big Game Fishing Club of Utah and competed in billfishing tournaments for ten years in Mazatlan, Mexico.
George was preceded in death by his parents, and daughter, Diedre Jo Smith and her husband, Dennis Smith. He is survived by sisters, Rita Mae Schafer and Vernice Stedwell; son, Derek J. Hoar and wife, Debbie Retz Hoar; two granddaughters, Cathy Smith and Jessica (Shauna) Smith; and two great-grandchildren, Sidney and Saydie.
In lieu of flowers—donations to the UNLA Wayne Hansen Memorial Fund @ Utah State University, 4820 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322 or The Alzheimer's Association.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, March 15, 2017, 1:00 p.m. at Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary, 4760 South State St., Murray with viewings on Tuesday, March 14th from 6-8 pm, and Wednesday from 12-12:45 pm. prior to services. Interment: Redwood Memorial Park.

Funeral Home:
Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary-Murray
4760 South State Street
Murray, UT 84107