George L. Cutright, Sr. (90) of Toledo

George L. Cutright, Sr., 90, of Toledo, passed away in the early morning of Sunday, May 5, 2019, at his home in rural Toledo.

He was born August 8, 1928, the oldest of three children of Albert Leo and Alice Loretta Cross Cutright. On August 29, 1948, he married Dorothy E. McCandlish, of Toledo, at Cottonwood United Methodist Church.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 PM Thursday May 9 at the Cottonwood United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Wednesday evening at Barkley Funeral Chapel in Toledo, IL. Masonic Rites will be held at 7:00 PM on Wednesday evening. Burial with Military Rites will be at the Toledo Cemetery.

Survivors include his daughter, Elizabeth Anne Cutright, of Mattoon. Her daughter is Lori Anne Sparks (husband Scott) Shull, of Toledo, and the mother of Taylor (wife Baylee Smith) Ring of Brownstown, IL. Their children are Charlie, Lincoln, and Ava. His son, George L. Cutright, Jr., of Joliet, also survives. He is the father of George L., Ill, of AL, and of Kristina Van Pelt (husband Martin) of Channahon, IL. Their children are Preston, Caroline, Elijah, and Kirstiana. A brother, Lowell Cutright, and an uncle, Tom Cross, both of Charleston, also survive. The younger son, Neil Raymond, died in 1984. Despite a courageous life, he could not overcome muscular dystrophy. He wanted to be remembered for receiving a BA from Eastern Illinois University in 1983.

Besides his son and parents, George's sister, Marilyn (husband Jerrald) Reeley, of Mattoon, IL and his half-brother, Duane, of Illiopolis, IL preceded him in death.

A graduate of Mattoon High School, George entered the Army at Fort Knox, KY. He graduated from basic training with the Outstanding Trainee Award and highest AGCT score known there at that time. After teaching at Leader's Course, George applied for Officer Candidate School and learned that married men were no longer eligible. Returning to Mattoon, he worked for his uncles at Cross Brothers Construction Company. In November 1950, he began work at the Mattoon General Electric Company. In 1967, after working the third shift for three years, George graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a BS in Business Management. In 1968 he set up a flash bulb lamp development shop at Nela Park, OH, General Electric Lamp Headquarters. His work in overseas lighting began five years later and took him to 40 countries. He managed plants in Monterrey, Mexico and Rio de Janeiro. He returned to Nela Park as manager of manufacturing engineering. George retired as Manager of Planning and Facilities for overseas lamp operations in 1987. 

He then worked for other companies and built lamp plants in Schenzen, China; Twinsburg, OH; and Fork Union, VA. He also assisted with plants in St. Louis, and Cairo, Egypt.

George was a member and trustee of Cottonwood United Methodist Church. George was an Illinois member-at-large of the Sons of the American Revolution. He was a Life Member of Hutton Masonic Lodge, #698; Past Master of Monterrey Lodge #13, F. & A. M.; and member of Alzafar Shrine Temple and Consistory, of San Antonio, TX. He was also a Life Member of Toledo American Legion Post #764 and enjoyed activities of the East Central Illinois Bluebird Society. The Eastern Illinois University Foundation recognized him in 1993 during National Philanthropy Day.  Memorials may be made to Cottonwood United Methodist Church at 1326 Co. Rd., 1050 N., Toledo, and to the Neil R. Cutright Memorial Scholarship at the ElU Foundation, which awards full tuition and fees to Cumberland High School graduates.

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