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HIGHT -- George Colton Hight, 87, died November 26, 2010 following a brief illness. He was born June 4, 1923 in Gallup, New Mexico, the son of John George and Beatrice Allen (Colton) Hight. George loved this land of enchantment and he cherished his long and happy life spent in New Mexico. His family settled in the Gallup area back in the 1870's. They were a tough pioneer family that helped to construct many of the buildings in Gallup and they served in the city's administration. George was born with clubfeet that the Shriner Children's Hospital corrected in his youth. He was forever grateful and served as an active member of both the Shriners and the Masonic Order for over 50 years. His surgery left him with small feet that he compensated for with an adventurous spirit and a warm heart. George was an adventurous teenager: he learned to fly an airplane, dove for abalone in San Clemente, played the French Horn in band, and always kept his sketchbook handy. He started college at UNM in 1941 but after the attack on Pearl Harbor he was eager to join the military. Unfortunately his small feet kept him out; so, he decided to serve by working for Convair, a military aircraft contractor. After training in technical engineering he went to work at their plant in Fort Worth Texas. It was here that he met his wife and soul mate for 65 years, Lorene Bohn. She would always be known as "Bonnie", the nickname he gave her when they first dated. Their first son, George Colton Jr. was born in Fort Worth in 1947. As the war was winding down, George decided to return to his hometown of Gallup and become a professional photographer. Their daughter, Carolyn Sue, was born in 1950. The young family spent many weekends on outings in their Nash sedan photographing the diverse scenery and Native Americans of the Four Corners region. In 1952, George opened his own studio that he continued to operate for the next 39 years. His endearing personality brought out many smiles in his portrait studio. He expanded his work by doing police and commercial photography. He captured many interesting events through his lens: the crash of a top-secret U-2 plane on the Navajo reservation, whistle-stop railroad stations for Norman Rockwell's Breaking Family Ties, and George's famous Navajo Weaver image which has appeared in 50 countries and graced the pages of National Geographic and Arizona Highways. Their second son, John Fredrick was born in 1960. During this time, New Mexico was a popular setting for western films and the Hight home hosted many visiting actors including: Burt Lancaster, Lorne Greene, Lee Remick, and Donald Pleasance. George felt a strong civic duty and served the state in many capacities over the years. In 1966 he was the President of the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial Board and helped obtain funding for Gallup's Redrock State Park. In the 1970's he was a member of the New Mexico Economic Development and Director for his region. In 1981, he was elected to the Gallup city council and served two terms as Mayor Pro Tem. His first accomplishment was to bring the first 911 system to the police department. In 1991, George closed his studio and moved to Albuquerque. He transitioned his photographic talent onto the canvas to become an accomplished southwestern artist. He has won many awards including a Lifetime Achievement from MasterWorks. Some of his work may be seen at the Yucca Gallery in Old Town Albuquerque. George was a deeply devout man. He served as Artistic Director for the Gallery at the Cathedral Church of St. John. He spent countless hours serving the church and supporting his fellow parishioners. George was a lovable, talented, and charismatic man. He is survived by his wife - Bonnie; his daughter Carolyn; his sons, George and John; his children in-law Dave, Linda, and Julie; his grandchildren Stephanie, Matthew, Cody, and William; and sisters, Peggy Hight Robb and Evelyn Alberta Stokes. Memorial Services will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at the Cathedral of St. John, 318 Silver Ave SW in Albuquerque with Dean Mark Goodman officiating. Private Ennichement will take place at the Cathedral. Memorial Contributions maybe made to the Cathedral of St. John or to the Shriner Children's Hospital, 2900 Rocky Point Dr.; Tampa, FL 33607 or to www.shrinershq.org. Those who wish to express their condolences may do so at: www.danielsfuneral.com. Services are entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services 7601 Wyoming Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87109 505-821-0010
        Published on: Mon November 29, 2010