George Fellows Obituary

Fellows
GEORGE HARVEY FELLOWS
September 22, 1920
November 9, 2018
George Harvey Fellows passed away peacefully on November 9, 2018, surrounded by his family. He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Bertha Jean "Bert" Fellows. He is survived by his second wife, Barbara; his children, Jonathan Fellows (Judith Hemenway), Thomas Fellows (Anne), and Georganne Fellows; step-daughters, Jayne Fisher and Barbara Wolfe (Andy); grandchildren, Colin Fellows (Ashley) and Ellen Ahrendsen (Ian); and great-grandchildren, Cayson Fellows and Emery Fellows.
George was born on September 22, 1920 in Fort Dodge, Iowa. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Iowa State College in 1944, and married Bert on July 4th of that same year. He served from 1944 to 1946 in the U.S. Navy as a line officer aboard an auxiliary ship during World War II. After one year as a Civil Engineer for the Bureau of Reclamation, he began a 38-year career in municipal service, culminating in 26 years as a City Manager: initially for Pueblo (7 years), and then for Colorado Springs. During his unprecedented 19-year tenure in Colorado Springs, the city grew in population from 100,000 to over 250,000, and in area from 50 to 130 square miles. George was devoted to his work, and enjoyed working with and for the elected officials and the citizens of Colorado Springs. He retired in 1985.
Throughout both his career and his subsequent retirement years, George was also devoted to his family. He was proud of his children, and took great pleasure in watching them grow and establish their own careers and families. He loved his grandchildren, and then his great-grandchildren too.
Also throughout his life, George was actively involved in the community, belonging to a number of clubs and organizations, serving as a board member for organizations such as Memorial Hospital, Goodwill, Cheyenne Village, and Friends of the Pioneer Museum. He was also a long time contributor and member of Arati Artists Gallery. He served on boards and committees until his 91st birthday.
He was the recipient of awards from local, state and national level organizations, including the International City Management Association Distinguished Service Award; Lifetime Achievement Award from Mayor John Suthers; and the Lifetime of Community Achievement Award from the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs.
George loved gardening, playing golf, and woodworking. Before his retirement, he began learning to work with silver, and after retirement, he became a silversmith of extraordinary talent. He and Bert were long time members of the Pikes Peak Jazz and Swing Society where they loved to dance.
George moved into The Inn at Garden Plaza in 2011 following Bert's death. He very much enjoyed the social environment at The Inn, and it was there in 2016 that he met Barbara Fisher. They married on April 12, 2017.
George was respected and admired by all who knew him. He worked and lived with integrity, intelligence, and a profound sense of balance. He has been an exceptional role model whose attitude toward life was unfailingly positive, even in the face of adversity. He met the infirmities of aging with grace and acceptance: "Consider the alternative", he would say, with a thoughtful smile. Yes! Those of us who survive him hope that we can live with that same grace and acceptance.
A memorial service will be held at Shrine of Remembrance "America the Beautiful" Chapel on November 15, 2018 at 2:00 pm. There will be a reception following at Olympian Plaza Reception and Event Center, 975 S. Union Blvd. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to Cheyenne Village, 6275 Lehman Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918.