George Edwin DuBrock, 92, died in the early morning March 1, 2009 of natural causes at his home in Point Clear.
He was born June 10, 1916 at the family home in Belforest. His younger brother, Evin, died of diphtheria at age 7. Soon after, the family moved to Fairhope, where his father, Raymond, and his two uncles began businesses.
The DuBrock Laundry, operated by his uncle Norvin and aunt Sybillia, and the antique store, run by his parents, Raymond and Ida, were fixtures in Fairhope for over 40 years.
He and his good friend, Craig Sheldon, were fishing when they heard that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. Both joined the service convinced that it would be a short war.
DuBrock joined the Navy in 1942 and was stationed in Algiers, La., for a good part of the war. He was later sent to Manila in the Philippines to take part in the final assault on Japan when the war ended.
While he was stationed in Algiers, he met and later married Iola Jeanne Eastin on March 5, 1943. They returned to Fairhope after the war, where their only child, Henrietta, was born in 1946.
In 1960, they moved to Point Clear where he toop up the family antique business and became a master craftsman, creating exquisite wood work in the form of reproduced antiques, original furniture and wood-turnings.
In recent years, he was always happy to fill in historical links to Fairhope’s past with many artists and authors from the area who all found a rich texture/treasure trove of information. He will be remembered for his gentle and giving spirit. He will be missed.
Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Iola; daughter, Henrietta DuBrock of Denham Springs, La.; two grandchildren, Robert (Claire) and Cindy (Scott), and three great-grandchildren, Kimberly, Lacey and Zachary.
Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. Thursday at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Fairhope. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. at Belforest Community Cemetery.
Arrangements are by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Homes & Crematory Inc., Fairhope.
