DAHLONEGA, GA — It is with great sadness that the family of George and Claudine Shadowens announce their passing. George passed away on July 20, 2020 after a brief illness. Claudine followed him exactly three weeks later after a long illness on August 10, 2020.
George was born on October 21,1937 in Adolphus, Kentucky to Oma (Foster) and William Shadowens, the fifth of seven children.
After living in the Kentucky countryside and the city of Indianapolis, he joined the Navy at age seventeen. During his twenty years in the Navy, he did three tours of duty in Vietnam, traveled the world, and met Claudine DeCato, a Navy nurse he helped rescue from drowning in Guam.
George and Claudine courted on that island, became engaged in the Philippines, and married in Enfield, NH in 1961. Over the next six years, they had four children: Paula (Paulina), Lisa, Yvonne, and George Wayne Jr. (Wayne).
After retiring from the Navy in 1974, George worked first for a plumbing company, then as a police officer in Canaan, NH, where he also served as selectman.
Claudine Hope (DeCato) Shadowens was born on a dairy farm in Canaan, NH on November 30, 1934, to Harold and Yvonne (Beaudry) DeCato, the first of their four youngsters. The DeCato clan spent many wonderful times at their camp on Goose Pond, which became a special place for following generations as well.
Claudine’s reading of “Cherry Ames” nursing books led her to join that profession. At the age of twenty-two, she became a Navy nurse. She was stationed in Newport, RI, Japan, and Guam, where George courted her with bags of wild orchids, and they rode water buffalo. This was a bit of a forbidden romance, as Claudine was an officer and George was enlisted.
After homemaking while her children were little, Claudine worked for many years at Alice Peck Day Hospital and the Hanover Health Terrace Nursing Home, as well as serving on the SAU 62 school board until she, too, retired.
For the past few years, George and Claudine lived in Dahlonega, Georgia with their daughter Yvonne and family on a horse farm. George loved to tell tales from his seafaring days, connect with old Navy buddies, and squire Claudine around the pastures on Rosie, his ATV. Claudine enjoyed spending time with family and friends, watching old movies, savoring bird song and natural beauty, and wearing fabulous hats. They both loved living on a busy farm.
She and George were devoted to their grandchildren and their partners: Jenna Hurley Godber and husband Daniel, Kaitlin Hurley and husband Joshua Gee, Clayton Banks and wife Leah, Kelly Banks and partner Nathan Carter, and Amanda and Mason Shadowens. They also delighted in their first great-grandbaby Sophie Godber.
In addition to their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild, they will be sorely missed by their sons-in-law John Banks and Michael Hurley, and Wayne’s partner Ann Hudnall, Claudine’s sister Donna Ross and brother Clifford DeCato and their respective families, Tom Shadowens, George’s brother, and his cousin Frances and her husband Arnold Dale, as well as family and friends throughout the country.
A memorial service will be held on George and Claudine’s wedding anniversary, Wednesday, October 7th, at Sacred Heart Church in Lebanon, NH at 10 am.” In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to DAV (Disabled American Veterans) or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.