DOVER - George Courtney Jr. was born on October 7, 1929 in Brooklyn, NY. The son of the late George E. Courtney Sr. and Phyllis Flieger Courtney of South Carolina. He attended Brooklyn Technical High school and worked as a delivery boy, truck driver and farmhand as a young man. In 1947 he enlisted in the United States Navy at the age of 17. Early in his career he was stationed at the Norfolk Naval Station, Lakehurst New Jersey Naval Base and the Panama Canal Zone where he was a weather aerographer. In addition he served in Europe, Artic Circle, Gitmo Bay and Puerto Rico. He served aboard 3 warships; USS Coral Sea, USS Juneau and the USS Greenwich Bay. His navel service included the European Occupation duties after WWII. George also served every day of the Korean War and entered the Army Reserve during the Vietnam War, from where he retired. During the Vietnam War he served in the Infantry ordnance as a trained combat medic. After his active duties, he attended the University of Florida and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Master of Rehabilitation Counseling in 1961. He was a TRUE Gator. George then moved to upstate New York where he was a NYS Rehabilitation Counselor before becoming a high school guidance counselor in Mechanicsville and Mount Pleasant High School in Schenectady, New York. Before retiring, George worked at Schenectady Community College as an instructor in social work and the humanities and in the Continuing Education Department. He retired to Dover where he continued to work as an instructor at Delaware Technical Community College for more than a decade. He was active in various community civic organizations. As a Lions Club member, he was President twice, President Scholarship Chair, and Eyeglass Committee Chair. As a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) he served as VFW chaplain and JAG Officer for Post 3238, Camden. In the Korean War Veteran Association he served as the Department Commander of the Del. Korean War Veterans Association. George was active in the Camden Township as a Town Councilman and then as Vice Mayor and he was on the town planning board. He was an active member with the Moose Lodge in Camden and American Legion in Dover. He was a very active communicant and member of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church serving on various committees including the church counsel, property chairman, president and vice president of the Men of St Andrews. He was also a lifelong supporter of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and various wildlife and conservation organizations that were always dear to his heart. George Courtney Jr. is survived by his wife, Velenda Courtney; his son, George Courtney III of Albany, New York [grandsons, Justin and Brandon]; his daughter, Gail Courtney of Atlanta, Georgia [grandson, Connor and granddaughter, Courtney], and daughter-in-law, Caroline of Egg Harbor, New Jersey [grandsons, Robert, Ryan, Devin, and granddaughter, Cara]. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Edna L. Courtney and his son, Dr. Robert Lee Courtney, D.O. (OBGYN). George was a gentle soul who believed above all in service to his community which was reflected throughout his whole life and the people whose lives he influenced and touched. George Courtney Jr. was one of a kind and will be so missed. Funeral services will be held 10 AM, Fri., Nov. 6, 2015 at St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 425 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901. Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday evening at Torbert Funeral Chapel South, 1145 E. Lebanon road (Rt.10), Dover. Interment will be 2PM at Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Millsboro. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to St. Andrews Lutheran Church, 425 N. DuPont Highway, Dover, DE 19901 or a charity of your choice. Letters of condolences may be sent and guest book signed at www.torbertfuneral.com