Welcome To Remembering George
Welcome to Remembering George.
This site is a memorial to my husband, George W. Maddox, who died on September 4, 2009, after suffering injuries in a plane crash at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. He was flying a plane at the time for his employer, Quest Diagnostics Laboratory, transporting medical tests for the company. His death has been a great shock to our family.
I have written my posts about George and our life together, about death, grieving, moving on, and other issues surrounding this tragedy. I invite you to explore the site and learn more about my wonderful husband George, and our life and family.
If you are curious about exactly what happened to George you can read the posts under “What Happened.” If you would like to see pictures of him and our family, check under “Photos” or “Videos.” Also, right after the accident I posted many entries on Facebook while I stayed in the hospital with George hoping for his recovery. Those posts, along with comments from readers, are under “Facebook Entries.”
This site is work in progress, so if you are having trouble finding information under any of the pages, check back. I work on the site almost every day and it will continue to improve as I spend time on it. Your comments are welcome.
Lisa Roach Maddox
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Good morning Lisa! just a note to share some lyrics with you…I am passing them on ! A friend shared them with me in my time of need!
“And you swore that you were bound for glory”
“And for wanting you had no shame”
“But I loved you”
“And then I lost you”
“And I will never be the same”
Melissa Ethridge
What a beautiful way to display your husband’s life. It’s so fresh and you are very brave. I know that writing about it helps.
Keep being good to yourself.
Lisa,
I am an old friend of George’s from 1974 Appalachian State days. George was the sound man of a band that I played drums for in those days called Jessica, a group that eventually moved to Atlanta and merged with some other musicians to form yet another group, this one called Short Notice. George and I were roommates between the summer of 1974 in N.C. through our Atlanta time, which ended in December of that same year.
Other than a re-visit to Atlanta the following year (we went to a Jethro Tull concert), I had not seen George until 1980, when he came through Boston during his time being a roadie with the Brains. George got us tickets, of course, and wound up staying with us in our back bay apartment for several days, since the band was taking a break.
I saw him again in 1981 when I came back to Atlanta for a mutual friend’s funeral, and George, typically, went out of his way to be there for me during a sad time, driving me around town and helping me down a few beers. My wife, Betty, and I wound up moving to Atlanta in 1981, saw him just a few times, before he finally said “I’m moving to Florida to become a pilot.” That was our last contact, but to this day I cannot listen to Led Zeppelin without thinking of George Maddox. He was a great friend at a time when I really needed a great friend.
I wound up getting a degree in music from Berklee College of Music, and then two graduate degrees in School Counseling. I’m still playing part time in two bands with my oldest son on bass….a rock band called The Amazing Mongooses (you can hear our stuff on MySpace), and a jazz group called Style Points. This past year, I published my first book, which is on Amazon, called Skits, Raps, and Poems for the School Counselor.
I am so sorry to hear of George’s passing, and my deepest sympathies and love go out to both you and your beautiful daughter. Roger Kohrs, another mutual friend, called me with the news just a few days ago, and I’m just now coming to grips with the fact that he is gone. I wish we had had just one more chance to catch up on some past and current music happenings.
May 2010 be a year filled with peace and love for you. God Bless.
David,
Thanks for writing. I too am just coming to grips with the situation. George mentioned you to me several times. I wish he had been able to catch up with you before this happened. You were part of his life during a fun period, and I know he enjoyed it. I hope we’ll be able to meet some day.
Lisa
Lisa:
I just learned about George’s passing this week from a friend in Atlanta. I was shocked and very saddened.
I was intense friends with George from around 1976 to 1980. I attended Emory University, and started going over to the Clifton house (blues band on top, Angelust on the bottom) to hear the music. I always thought that George was an incredible musician, and later found that he was a great companion and friend.
When I graduated college I wanted to be a rock star, just like George. So I convinced him to start another band, called Insect Fear, where we played punk rock covers (The Damned, Dictators, Paul Revere & the Raiders). I was just starting to play, and George was the linchpin for the whole affair. I think he wanted to do it because he could be the band leader and lead singer, although he was truly handicapped by having myself and another friend on bass who could barely play our instruments.
We banged around with the punk band for a couple of years. I have so many memories of George…him haggling with the pawn shop guy to buy my first guitar…eating his bean concoctions when there was little money…riding around in his black Dodge van…setting up and tearing down equipment for Angelust and our band….George singing “Heart full of Soul” by the Yardbirds…going to the pistol range…tearing up my former fraternity house with our occasionally brilliant howl of guitars.
When the band broke up, I remember telling George that I would rather keep our friendship than keep the band going.
I moved to Chicago for business in 1979, and only saw George one more time…he came through Chicago with the Producers and we got together for just a few minutes.
I had learned he’d become a commercial pilot…I always thought I’d get on an airplane somewhere and the pilot would announce “This is Capt. George Maddox and I’m accompanied by co-pilot Don Smith” and we’d have a reunion…
George was very bright, articulate, and a whole lot of fun to be around.
It’s thirty years since George and I saw each other. I’ve led a full life, worked with and met lots of people in my business and personal life. At this point, I cannot remember most of their names and frankly don’t care. George was different…I have thought about him many, many times over the last three decades and the fun we had. Some people are truly memorable, and make an indelible impression on the other people they meet. George was one of those unique people who made the world better by being himself. I really truly loved George. I always wanted to see him again.
Just as you have a small daughter, I have an eleven-year-old girl. It’s interesting how both George and I found happiness in the father role later in life…it’s obvious from the photos that George was a caring and engaged father.
I hope this message brings you some comfort in your difficult time of transition. Please send me your current mailing address and I’ll send a contribution for Lily’s college fund. I also have a digital photo of the Insect Fear band in action that I can forward to you if you’d like to add it to the collection.
Please contact me if there is anything I can help you with.
God Bless you, your family, and George’s memory.
Sincerely,
David Engebretson
Chicago, IL USA
Slaytonsolutions@sbcglobal.net
Hi Dave. I got this on a particularly low day, and I want to thank you for all of your kind words about George. You hit the nail on the head. He was one of the people you meet in life who you never forget. I know he grabbed ahold of me when I met him in the 80s and never let go. We were very happy in our marriage and I was very proud to be his wife. I hope someday we can meet and talk more about him.
Lisa Maddox
Hello. I have read widow’s and widower’s blogs since a close friend of mine suffered a devastating loss. I want to let you know that I am particularly moved by your blog and affected by your desciption of your connection with George. Thank you for writing it.
Hi Lisa,I saw your little post on Tracey’s blog.I was really touched by all you had to say.I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now after such a recent and sudden loss! Wow, just wanted to say i am praying for you, Karen
Hello Lisa: I just heard about George’s death. I went to Emory with David and I remember George. I did not spend much time with him, but I do remember him and the band. I went to practice sessions a couple of times. They had even asked me if I was interested in singing, which is rather funny, considering I absolutely cannot sing. I think they were desperate for singers. In any event, I want to extend my sympathy, and wish you and your family a good life.
Thanks Steve. Your kind words mean a lot. Lisa