In Remembrance: George E. Gould ’51 Died on August 15 2024

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George E. Gould, 97, of Naples, Florida (formerly of Peoria, Illinois), passed away peacefully on August 15, 2024.  He was born in Brighton, Massachusetts, on February 8, 1927, to Michael Joseph Gould and Ethel (Larsen) Gould.  He married Mary S. Gould on November 24, 1956, in Peoria, Illinois. Mary preceded him in death on August 31, 2013.  He was also preceded in death by his granddaughter, Rebecca Grace Gould, and two sisters, Eleanor Henley and Lois Reed, both of Massachusetts.

He is survived by his children Robert Gould of Coloma, Michigan, Martha Gould of Naples, Florida, and James Gould (Mary) of Naples, Florida; two grandchildren, Jeremy Gould and Daniel Gould; and one great-grandchild, Isaac Gould.

George was a 1945 graduate of Weymouth High School in Weymouth, Massachusetts.  A lifelong athlete, during high school he was the captain of the Weymouth Maroons in both football and track.  He was the starting fullback for the 1944 state champion football team and won first place, setting a new state record, in the high jump at the Massachusetts state track meet in 1945.

After high school George was drafted into the US army.  He served in the WW2 European theater in postwar Berlin, Germany.  When he returned home, he enrolled in Yale University with the help of the GI Bill and graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering in the class of 1951.  During his time at Yale, he rowed on the eight-man crew team.

He began his career working in 1951 with Caterpillar, which eventually brought him to Peoria where he and Mary raised their family.  For most of his career he worked in business planning for the many iterations of the mining truck manufacturer now known as Komatsu.  He retired in 1992.  During this time, he became an avid tennis player.

Upon retirement George and Mary began traveling seasonally to Naples, Florida, eventually moving there full time in 2013.  George continued playing tennis into his 90s.  He also became an avid golfer, scoring a hole-in-one on hole number 13 at the Peoria Country Club on April 26, 1998.  He played at least twice a week until recently.  He was active socially and in many organizations in Naples, including Trinity by the Cove, the World Affairs Council, Opera Naples, the Minor League Club, Audubon of the Western Everglades, and the Yale Club of Southwest Florida, among others. 

George was proud of his longevity and lived independently until his recent passing. He will be remembered for his friendly demeanor and his positive outlook on life.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 26, at 11:00 a.m.  

Memorial contributions can be made to the Neighborhood Health Clinic in Naples, Trinity-by-the-Cove, or Audubon of the Western Everglades.

—Submitted by the family.