George Macias of Houston, Texas passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at age 93 on Dec. 27, 2023. He leaves behind his wife of 69 years, Imogene Vick Macias, his four children (Vicki Macias Cherewaty, George Palmer Macias, Hilda Macias Hendrix and Robert Anthony Macias), two sons-in-law (Bob Cherewaty and Brian Hendrix), six grandchildren (Cory Sierman, Jeffrey Cherewaty, Addison Brown, Avery Taylor, Lauren Reis and Ethan Hendrix) and six great-grandchildren (Cameron, Colton and Camille Brown, Rhydian Sierman, and Isla and Margot Taylor).

In Tampa, Florida in 1930, George's parents, who were of Spanish and Cuban descent, named him George because he was born on February 22, George Washington's birthday. Perhaps because of his name, he took a great interest in politics, American history and civil rights.

George grew up during the Great Depression and World War II in the immigrant community known as Ybor City, a center for cigar making. Social clubs that doubled as community centers provided healthcare, recreational activities such as ping pong, and Saturday night dances. His first language was Spanish, but he learned English after he overheard a teacher saying, "He's so smart—if only he spoke English."

When George was about five, his mother Elena contracted tuberculosis and lived the last seven years of her life in a sanitorium. Elena's little sister Adelaida took George and his sister Hilda to visit their mom outdoors many times. Both sets of the children's grandparents had a hand in raising them. One of George's grandfathers was a cabinetmaker, and the other was a gardener. George learned from both of them.

As many men his age were being drafted to fight in the Korean War, George decided to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. Because he could type, and his feet were flat and his eyesight poor, he wound up in a non-combat position serving in multiple capacities in the base office in Greenland. After his Greenland assignment, he was stationed at Ellington Air Force Base in Houston. During his time there, he and a friend began a satirical newspaper called the Zebra Zoo Gazette, poking fun at military acronyms, among other things. An Air Force buddy's girlfriend introduced him to Imogene Vick, who grew up on a farm outside Conroe, Texas. They married in 1954.

The GI Bill helped the couple buy a home and allowed George to start college at the University of Houston. He intended to attain a degree in accounting and then pursue a law degree. He worked in the oil industry as a manager, supervisor, and sales representative while attending college full time. The demands of supporting a growing family eventually led him to leave college before completing his degree.

Nonetheless, he remained a lifelong learner and always preached the importance of education to his children. George was proud of all his children's pursuits, as they mirrored his interests, with his two sons becoming journalists, one daughter becoming an accountant, and one daughter working as a journalist and an attorney.

In the 1970s George decided it was time for a career change. He joined the carpenters' union and sharpened his carpentry skills. He primarily worked at trade shows, building and tearing down booths and large displays. When his knees began to fail him, he felt guilty asking younger colleagues to climb ladders in his stead, and he decided to retire early.

George first learned about the Begonia Society at a trade show where he was working and soon developed a passion for growing the exotic-looking plants. His expertise won him numerous awards from the Begonia Society. To support his hobby, he even built a greenhouse in his backyard, complete with watering and heating systems. He and Imogene worked almost every day in the greenhouse and the surrounding garden. They constantly supplied friends and family with begonias and anything else they grew.

In addition to tending to his plants, he hosted a free online Spanish/English class for several hours a week for over two decades. Through his class, he made friends with people from across the globe. He held the class almost every weekday, taking breaks only when something special, like an important Houston Astros game, was taking place.

Dancing was another passion the couple shared. The kids and grandkids were always delighted when they would turn the living room into an impromptu dance floor on special occasions. On Christmas Eve, just three days before his death from heart related issues, George shared one last dance with his beautiful bride in that same living room. They were listening to an old vinyl record playing a Spanish tango. His son Robert happened to film a short video with his phone as they swayed to the music, not realizing he was documenting such a bittersweet moment.

The family's plans for celebrating George's life are to be announced at a later date.