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George Brady Musselman, age 68, died peacefully in the company of his children and grandchildren on Sunday, May 21, 2000. He was born on October 2, 1931, the first living child of his parents, George Clifton Musselman and Louise Wood Musselman, in Washington, DC. George graduated from high school at the age of 15. He skipped the 3rd and 5th grades. He worked at a soda shop and as an apprentice to a butcher at Safeway Foods in order to support his mother and seven brothers and sisters, namely, Melvin, Frances, Kenny, Clifton, Jerry, Linda and Rich. George joined the US Air Force in 1948 and was a Navigator/Radio Operator until he was granted a Humanitarian Discharge upon his mother's demise. George was 19 years old when he assumed the responsibility of raising his siblings who ranged in age from two to 18 years in age. George met and married Helen Pauline Singleton (Polly). Together they managed the care of George's brothers and sisters until financial and authoritarian issues required them to make the most difficult decision of his life-to divide the family. He called upon aunts, uncles, and family friends to assume custodial responsibility for rearing his siblings. This decision haunted my father, George Musselman, for the entirety of his life. Some siblings found loving homes. Others weren't so fortunate. George began to work to AT&T in Washington, DC. He was an Officer in the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Union. He and Polly had three children, Susan Louise Musselman Carter, Cynthia Lee Musselman and Peter Brady Musselman. George was a good father. He was a member of the Parent Teachers Association at his children's Elementary School. He volunteered at a Retarded Men's Home in Laurel, Maryland for many years. The single most important lesson he passed along to his children was the importance of charity. Christmas was a most special time for our family! George provided for family, friends and even strangers (carrying extra wrapped packages marked only boy, girl, man or woman to hand out on a whim during the holiday season). George and Polly moved to the hills of Tennessee (Polly's homeplace) in 1969, during the height of the Martin Luther King Demonstrations in DC. George was able to transfer to South Central Bell Telephone Company, from which he retired. Farm life was a wonderful chapter in our family's history. I can still remember the great sense of accomplishment that we shared in renovating the hundred year old farmhouse that we moved into, by adding an indoor toilet and tub, and a heater to supplement the fireplace in the living room. George was a leader in the rural community in Tennessee. He was one of the volunteers who reclaimed an old abandoned school house and refurbished it into the Woodhill Community Center, where family members enjoyed ping pong and pool tables, card game tournaments, and pie suppers. George also taught a children's Sunday School class at our church, Bethany Baptist. George and Polly have four grandchildren, namely: Shane Brady Acuff, Daniel Brady Carter, Kevin Clifton Carter and Kelly Lynn Tinlin. George and Polly lived together for 22 years. Unfortunately, they were estranged for 24 years after which time they decided to grow up, put the past behind them, and remarry on June 20, 1999 in Albuquerque. This last year together was very healing for all of us. George's illness was blessedly brief. He was determined to stay with us until all of his children were able to be by his bedside. George Musselman was loved and admired by his family and friends. His charitable nature was his blessing and his bane. He set an example for each and every one of us. We will remember him lovingly. Cremation arrangements by the Sunrise Society of NM, Ph 891-8200.
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