George Thomas Verhagen

Suddenly, Wednesday October 2, 2024

George's Burial will take place on October 9, 2024 at White Haven Memorial Park no prior calling hours or services at the funeral home. The Family will have a celebration of George's life will be determined after the burial services.

It is recommended you wear long pants (jeans) socks, and sneakers to the Natural Burial Site for George if you are attending.

George Thomas Verhagen, age 32,passed on Oct. 2, 2024 from causes that will be researched and found out through out 2025. His mother was with him that morning and at his side. He was not able to be revived by medical personnel.

Born on March 17, 1992, he was welcomed by Dr. Hess to the extreme delight of his parents and grandmother. George was an easy baby and delightful child. He had difficulties however throughout his life including breaking his knee (patella) in half putting him in a wheelchair for 5 months and undiagnosed pain for the last 4 years and before. He took swim lessons beginning at age one and one half with June Crandall who was mesmerized by his interest in the nature around him. He did not care for the other sports but did try many. He enjoyed playing hockey though with Dad on the rinks including the one his dad made in the backyard. Later he was on the swim team in his few years at Harley School.

 He attended Elementary School through 2nd grade with children from 20 countries. He left the Children's School for another as he was in the M.A.P. program in city schools. He always cared about others although not extremely outgoing. In kindergarten George used the carrot of promising to eat lunch with his behaviorally challenged friend if the friend would behave that morning. Also he gave Mrs. Hogenmiller, his favorite teacher (kdg.) of all of his grade school teachers, an ongoing collection of rocks he found outside. She carefully found a perfect spot for his treasures.

George was accepted at the School of the Arts in the city of Rochester. He won the spot by playing the piano for the judge who admired his playing and his suit. He pursued the Theater Tech. program instead of the piano. He produced The Mousetrap play as a culmination of his skills. He also attended Harley private school for part of his middle and high school years. He received a yearly scholarship of $10,000 per year there after acing the math test. He excelled at his high school studies and was held in high regard by all of his teachers and then later by his professors in college.

George continued to excel as he entered Monroe Community College at age 25. He was awarded the coveted Certificate of Achievement (and medallion) at MCC along with only 18 of 2,200 graduating students in a special ceremony attended by his proud parents. 

George went on to attend The Rochester Institute of Technology where he worked toward his Bachelor's Degree in Bio-Chemistry with 4.0 ratings all through. He spent many nights there in his years performing and following through with labs. He also worked as a teacher assistant, diligently teaching and grading students. George presented his Total Synthesis of D112 (Thesis Proposal) in November of 2021. It was related to his research over a summer and ongoing, re: Cancer and organic synthesis. At one time he considered research for pharmaceutical patents. But his drive was for research. And wow! When he was very very young, he told us he wanted to be a scientist. We grieve that he had so many things he wanted to learn, study and accomplish but he never will.

He wanted to be successful and have resources to help his many friends. His actions reflected his burning desire to help others in any way he could including food, shelter, and back and forth counseling with so many friends. Mom heard him for the first time counseling someone on the phone when he was 14. Mom was blown away!!

George never realized or believed how much he deserved the adoration and love of his parents and the admiration and love of his friends. Daily life was a struggle for him. You would not realize that if you did not know him. He persevered through all kinds of pain and suffering.

His girlfriend remembers his commitment to helping his friends was so clear to her at a festival.George returned to her tent and told her how he had been running around trying to save a relationship between two of his dearest friends, because he loved them and believed in them and cared so much about them both being happy. He believed in love as a concept and a thing we should all share. He did so many crazier things to keep peace for others. 

His goodness was a thing to be revered. In the whirlwind of meeting his tons of friends she could always tell right away which were his true friends. Without fail as soon as I came across his friends, with a deeply genuine smile they would tell me a story about a huge kindness he had shown them. Or he would tell me about some shenanigans of George's that were a highlight of a time they would never forget. And I have heard more of those stories that I can't even begin to count. He was truly the man! So, to all of you who knew him those ways and loved his beautiful soul, you too are beautiful souls. He had a sensitivity and an intense care for the earth and life itself, and his love of music was participation in that. He never had so much joy on his face as when he drowned himself in his favorite music, music that spoke to him most especially when he was with his favorite people. He called it magic to help with sadness, and it turned your lonliness into a sense of family, your pain into a burden eased by being shared by many others and your love to something divine.

George is survived by his loving parents, Robert and Jacqueline Verhagen as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and George's bunny Helen. He was predeceased by his grandparents Ellie Rumsey/Tom Reeves, Mary Verhagen and Vincent Verhagen along with his beloved pets Spunkie, Buddy, Bear and Dude. He left behind his beloved kitties, Ketzel and Leo who miss him.

A special thanks to Dr.Tim Cooper who listened to him and understood, to all of the teachers and professors who loved him and guided him, and to The RFD at Dewey and Ridgeway Avenue who tried their very best at his hour of need on October 2.

A determination is yet to be made for how or where donations can be made to help causes such as needed for food and shelter - causes that George felt were primary for people with very little resources. Please DO contact family members soon in this regard.

There are no calling hours. Just a simple burial listed on this page

REVISED: On Wednesday afternoon at 1:15 pm, friends may come IF they wish to assemble at the front gate of White Haven Memorial Park (near the fountains) 210 Marsh Rd. Pittsford, NY 14534 to attend a graveside ceremony beginning promptly at 1:30pm. Remember there will be a Celebration of George's life coming soon which you are invited to! You are not requested at the burial. But you may certainly come if you wish to.

To sign George's guest book or to light a virtual candle scroll down to bottom of page.