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279. GEORGE CHAFFEY McLAREN (EMMA ANN CHAFFEY 5, GEORGE 4, BENJAMIN 3, BENJAMIN 2,
RICHARD 1). 48 Born on 29 Jun 1890 in MILDURA, AUSTRALIA. GEORGE CHAFFEY died in WHITTIER,
CA, on 25 Sep 1967; he was 77. BURST AORTA. Occupation: ENGINEER, SUPERINTENDENT OF
OPERATIONS, STANDARD OIL OF CA. Education: EQUIVALENT OF BSME, MCGILL UNIVERSITY,
MONTREAL, CANADA.
PARTIAL RECOLLECTION FROM THE FILES OF PETER KREIDER.
HE WAS MY MOTHER’S ONLY REMAINING BROTHER. HE WAS A FINE GENTLEMAN, HIGHLY
RESPECTED BY ALL, A JOY FOR EVERYONE TO BE AROUND, BOTH CHILDREN AND ADULTS. FOR ME HE
WAS A WONDERFUL UNCLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE, PERCEPTIVE, RELAXED, A FINE SENSE OF HUMOR.
HE WAS A FREQUENT AND SUPERB SOURCE OF ADVICE FOR ME AS A TEENAGER, COLLEGE STUDENT,
AND LATER AS AN ENGINEER IN INDUSTRY. HE WAS VERY INFLUENTIAL IN MY BECOMING AN
ENGINEER, AND WAS SECOND ONLY TO HIS FATHER, MY GRANDFATHER PETER MCLAREN IN HIS
INFLUENCE ON MY CAREER. HE WAS HIGH UP IN STANDARD OIL MANAGEMENT, SO HIS DOWN TO
EARTH FRIENDLINESS WITH ALL WAS SURPRISING.
AS A CONTRAST TO HIS PARENTS, HE AND GRETA LIVED IN THE SAME HOUSE IN WHITTIER,
CALIFORNIA, DURING THE MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF THEIR MARRIAGE. 48
In 1915 when GEORGE CHAFFEY was 24, he married GRETA HAZARD 48, in WHITTIER, CA. Born in
1889 in WHITTIER, CA. GRETA died in WHITTIER, CA, in 1979; she was 90. OLD AGE. Occupation: BA
STANFORD U.
PARTIAL RECOLLECTION FROM THE FILES OF PETER KREIDER.
“WITH UNCLE GEORGE’S HIGH LEVEL WITH STANDARD OIL, THE MCLARENS WERE IN A MUCH
HIGHER ECONOMIC STATUS THAN MY FAMILY ESPECIALLY DURING THE DEPRESSION. AS A RESULT
AND WITH GEORGE’S AND GRETA’S INTEREST IN THE NEWEST THINGS, THEY USUALLY HAD NEW
DEVICES BEFORE ANYONE ELSE WE KNEW. FOR EXAMPLE THEY HAD A GARBAGE DISPOSAL WHEN
THEY FIRST CAME OUT AND MANY YEARS BEFORE THEY WERE COMMON. AUNT GRETA HAD VARIOUS
DELIGHTFUL EXPRESSIVE SAYINGS. FOR EXAMPLE SHE IMMEDIATELY DUBBED HER DISPOSAL A
GARBAGE EATER, WHICH HAS BECOME STANDARD NOMENCLATURE IN OUR FAMILY EVER SINCE.
ANOTHER OF HER DELIGHTFUL AND EXPRESSIVE SAYINGS, SHE DUBBED ANYONE SHE ESPECIALLY
LIKED OR WHO DID SOMETHING PARTICULARLY NICE AS A “CHOICE MORSEL. “ SHE CALLED HER
HUSBAND, MY UNCLE GEORGE, AFFECTIONATELY “GEORGY PORGY.” THE MANY GUESTS AT THEIR
HOME, PRIMARILY STANDARD AND OTHER OIL PEOPLE, SHE AFFECTIONATELY DUBBED AS DIRTY
OIL FOLKS, EVEN WHEN THEY WERE WELL DRESSED IN SUITS OR MAYBE TUXES. THIS WAS BECAUSE
IN THEIR WORK CLOTHES, MANY WERE DIRTY AND OILY. THEY OF COURSE CHANGED AND
SHOWERED AS A DAILY ROUTINE AND THE WORK CLOTHES WENT RIGHT INTO THE WASHING
MACHINE. AND SO IT WENT. SHE HAD OTHER VERY DESCRIPTIVE AND FUN SAYINGS, BUT THEY
ESCAPE ME NOW.
AUNT GRETA WAS OF SOMEWHAT SMALL STATURE, AND WITH HER ENERGETIC, BOUNCY
PERSONALITY AND HUMOROUS BENT, SHE COULD BE THE DELIGHTFUL LIFE OF ANY GATHERING.
AFTER BARBARA & I WERE MARRIED AND LIVED IN OUR FIRST SMALL TRACT HOME IN WHITTIER, WE
SAW A LOT OF UNCLE GEORGE AND AUNT GRETA. AUNT GRETA, NOT HAVING HAD ANY DAUGHTERS
OF HER OWN, SORT OF ADOPTED MY YOUNG WIFE, BARBARA, AND REGULARLY INVITED HER TO
VARIOUS LADIE’S SOCIAL FUNCTIONS IN WHITTIER. FOR BARBARA, THIS WAS ALL NEW. (SHE AND I
CAME FROM FAMILIES WHO WERE UNINTERESTED SOCIALLY.) SHE THRIVED ON IT BUT,
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