Obit of Curphey, George Donald - Washington County, Oklahoma

Submitted by:  Terri     18 Sep 2005
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Surnames: CURPHEY, MILLS, MCCORMICK, ZIEGENHORN

George Donald Curphey

from 5-4-2003 Examiner Enterprise

George Donald Curphey, 79, of Amarillo died Saturday, April 26, 2003.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, May 3 at 3 p.m. in the Virgil 
Patterson Auditorium of the Bank of America building, 8th and Taylor, with 
arrangements by Schooler Funeral Home. Burial will be in Memorial Cemetery 
in Bartlesville, Okla.

Mr. Curphey was born in Bartlesville on February 5, 1924, to George M. and 
Lillian Carlos Curphey. He graduated from Bartlesville College High School 
in 1942. Following Air Force pilot training, he served as a first 
lieutenant and B-26 pilot in the 599th Bomb Squadron, 397th Bomb Group in 
the European theater of operation during WWII, piloting many successful 
missions.

He attended the University of Oklahoma, earning bachelor's degrees in 
business administration and journalism and a graduate degree from the OU 
Harris School of Advertising Art. He married Dorothy Jean Mills, also of 
Bartlesville, in 1950.

In 1951, he moved to Amarillo and was employed as an account executive on 
the Shamrock Oil and Gas account at McCormick Advertising and Engraving 
Co. He became a vice president of the company three years later upon the 
death of the founding principal, James L. McCormick. In 1964, Mr. Curphey 
became president of the company, then became chairman in 1987 and chairman 
emeritus in 1990.

During his career, he was president or chairman of the following groups: 
Harrington Regional Medical Center, Inc., Amarillo Club, BIOS (Business 
Involved in Our Schools), Amarillo Unitarian Fellowship (founding member) 
and Family Service/Travelers Aid Agency. He was a founding member of 
Olivia's Angels, the support organization for BSA Hospice. He also served 

as a board member of Downtown Kiwanis Club, United Way, Amarillo Country 
Club, and the High Planes Soaring Society. He was active with the 
University of Oklahoma Alumni Development Fund. He was founder of a 
tongue-in-cheek discussion group called the TWITS (The Western 
Intellectual Tradition.)

His professional involvement included being president of the Southwestern 
Association of Advertising Agencies, president of the Amarillo Advertising 
Club and a member of Alpha Delta Sigma advertising fraternity. He received 
a national CLIO award for a television spot he developed for Shamrock Oil 
& Gas, along with dozens of Addy Awards at the local and regional levels. 
The Amarillo Advertising Federation honored him with the Silver Medal 
Award for lifetime achievement.

Mr. Curphey married Genneil Ziegenhorn of Amarillo in 2001 at Lake Tahoe, 
Nev.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, and a brother, Richard 
Curphey. Survivors include his wife; son, Chris Curphey and wife, Sandra 
of Amarillo; two grandchildren, Cale and Cameron Curphey, both of 
Amarillo; and a brother, David Curphey of Waynesville, NC.

The family suggests memorials be to Olivia's Angels, c/o BSA Hospice, P.O. 
Box 950, Amarillo, TX 79105.
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