|
George Charles Soos
was born on February 18, 1932 in Ellwood City, PA. George was the
last of 12 children in his family. While playing football during his
high school years, George was recruited by several Division-I
schools, including Army. His father deemed that there could be no
greater recognition for an immigrant to this country than having his
son accept an appointment to West Point, “the best school in
America.”
George did well enough to become the starting nose tackle on the
football team’s first defensive unit and earned his numerals. After
a knee injury forced him to drop football, George focused his time
and energy exclusively on becoming an Air Force pilot. In the
meantime, George met Eleanor Ann Anderson on a blind date. Shortly
thereafter, they got engaged.
George graduated West Point in June 1954 and became a second
lieutenant in the United Stated Air Force. When grades were posted
in the sally ports and graduation was assured, George tried to reach
his parents by telephone with the good news. At the same time,
family members were trying to reach George to tell him that his
father had passed away. George always believed his father was aware
of his achievement.
Upon graduation, George and his bride reported to Bainbridge Air
Force Base, GA to begin pilot training. From there, the family, with
new son Robert, moved to Reese Air Force Base in Lubbock, TX. While
flying for the 32nd Squadron of Military Air Transport Service out
of McChord Air Force Base, Tacoma, WA, the young Soos family began
to grow with the addition of daughter Belinda Ann. George was a
first lieutenant with over 3,000 hours of flying time when he
resigned his commission in September 1958. George was honorably
discharged from the United Stated Air Force.
In
November, George accepted the opportunity to become junior engineer
at Long Island Lighting Company (LILCO), a natural gas and
electricity utility located in Hicksville, NY. At the outset of his
new career, George became active in his community. He joined
Kiwanis, a service club, and the Republican Club, a political
organization. The family began to grow again as daughter Eleanor
Kaci joined the Soos family. At the age of 28, George served as the
youngest trustee in the Village of Williston Park before he was
offered the appointment of councilman in the Town of North
Hempstead. He was successfully re-elected three more times.
After nearly two years of being out of government service, a Nassau
County executive asked George to serve as a member of the Nassau
County Public Employment Relations Board. George accepted the
appointment and served the county for fifteen years on this board.
His career at LILCO continued to advance as well, and, after 26
years of company service, George applied for early retirement to
accept a new position in the not-for-profit industry. George became
president of the Long Island Forum for Technology, Inc., located in
Farmingdale, New York.
George and his wife then spent a year in Atlanta and almost two
years in Chicago before returning to Long Island to take the
position of Vice President, Office of Development & External Funding
at SUNY College in Old Westbury, NY. George opted to retire on
December 30, 2002.
All of his career activities provided for or required additional
education and training opportunities. Along with bachelor’s degree
from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, George received
certificates from the School of Business, Hofstra University; the
School of Business, University of Michigan; and the Barney Fletcher
Schools of Atlanta.
George served in leadership capacities for various nonprofit groups:
American Heart Association, Nassau Chapter; American Legion;
American Red Cross, Nassau County Chapter; Association of Graduates,
USMA; Community Church of East Williston; LILCO Charitable Trust;
Nassau Convention and Visitors Bureau; NY Power Tool, Public
Relations Committee; NY Gas Group, NYCOM Committee; PRSA, LI
Chapter; United Way of LI; WLIW, Channel 21, public television;
Williston-Albertson Republican Committee; Nassau County Republican
Committee; Republican Club of the Williston’s; and chairmanship of
various fundraising committees.
The people he served recognized his volunteer service. He was listed
among Long Island’s Top 100 Influential Leaders three times
(1990-1992). He received the 1989 Long Island Leadership Award by LI
Business News. The Nassau County Chapter American Red Cross
presented George with the Clara Barton Medal and the Nassau County
Good Neighbor Award. He was the County Seat Kiwanian of the Year in
1981. George received the President’s Award and Club Service Award
from the Kiwanis Club of the Williston’s. The Public Relations
Society of America, LI Chapter, selected his company LILCO as the PR
PROs of the Year.
Most important in George’s life was the commitment he and Eleanor
made to the family values reflected in their progeny. Eleanor and
George were proud parents to Robert William, a lawyer on Staten
Island, and his wife Maureen (Missy), a math teacher in a parochial
school; Belinda Ann (Indy), speech and language pathology doctorate
in Atlanta, and her husband Steven Cesari, entrepreneur
extraordinaire; and Eleanor Kaci (Kaci), owner of a wonderfully
successful embroidery business, and her husband Chris Smith, a top
flight realtor. They were also proud grandparents of Robert William
Jr. (Kyra), Ryan George, and Ashley Colleen; Courtney Nicole,
Stefany Paige, Whitney Ann, and Matthew Steven (Kathryn); and
Clayton Joseph and Grant Parker. |
