In Passing – March 2025

Douglas Reynolds McGeorge

After a long battle with cancer, Douglas Reynolds McGeorge passed away on Feb. 1, 2025, at home surrounded by his family. Doug was born in Batavia, N.Y., on July 28, 1940, son to Donald and Mary McGeorge. In his younger years his family relocated frequently due to his father’s career. He graduated from South Salem High School in Oregon in 1958. He attended Amherst College (Massachusetts) majoring in Geology. Following graduation, he married Deborah McGeorge, née Leedom.

Doug began his career as a management trainee with Sears, Roebuck & Co in Bangor, Maine. He held many positions with Sears including furniture and carpeting buyer and store manager, resulting in 13 relocations in the mid-Atlantic region during his career before retiring in 1996. Through the years, Doug was an active member of Sertoma and Rotary service clubs.

Doug and Deb retired to SaddleBrooke, Ariz., in 2001. Doug was a member of the MountainView/Preserve Golf Association serving as tournament chairman in its formative years. Doug and Deb spent six weeks every summer traveling, touring national parks, museums, and other sites of interest, eventually visiting all 50 states. They traveled extensively to all seven continents.

One of Doug’s passions was collectible cars. He proudly owned a classic 1969 Corvette that he entered in car shows, winning many awards. Doug was an avid reader of Civil War and WWII books. He visited most of the Civil War battlegrounds as well as WWII European sites.

Doug’s sense of humor, cheerful disposition, infectious laughter, and sharp wit will be deeply missed.

Doug is survived by his wife of 62 years, Deborah, and his four children, Anne Romeo (Peter) SaddleBrooke, Ariz., Laura McGeorge (Frank Mynar) McCall, Idaho, Tracy McGeorge (Jaci) SaddleBrooke, Ariz., and Brian McGeorge, SaddleBrooke, Ariz. He also leaves behind four grandchildren, Katie and Emily Mynar, Ian and Nate McGeorge, his sister Sally McGeorge (N. Olmstead, Ohio), and several nieces and nephews.

John Frederick Schmidt

John Frederick Schmidt was born on Feb. 15, 1928, and died on Feb. 17, 2025, at the age of 97. He was born in Gillespie, Ill., to William E. and Florence Schmidt. He was the youngest of five children, Virginia Schmidt, Bud Schmidt, Lucille Barton, and Marjorie Harper.

He was well schooled and received degrees from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Kansas. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

He married the love of his life, Peggy Schmidt, on Nov. 5, 1950. They had three children, John F. Schmidt Jr., who died of health complications as an infant, Susan Schmidt Hilkemeyer (Stan) from Tucson, and Thomas S. Schmidt (Jenny) from Columbia, Ill. Also, four grandchildren, Scott, Tim, Emily, and Daniel, and four (almost five, due in June) great-grandchildren.

John and Peg celebrated 65 years of marriage in 2015 prior to Peg’s death in 2016.

John was a dedicated businessman and worked for Columbia Quarry Company until he retired in 1998 at the age of 70. He and Peg lived in Belleville, Ill., for 25 years. They were instrumental in helping to create the Schmidt Art Center at Southwest Illinois College.

John developed and maintained the William E. and Florence Schmidt Charitable Foundation, which was later renamed the Schmidt-Barton Family Fund. Charities across the United States have benefited from donations and grants from this fund.

After he retired, he and Peg moved to the retirement community of SaddleBrooke, Arizona, and enjoyed a fun and busy life with new friends as well as family nearby. He and Peg loved collecting art and loved to travel.

John was straight as an arrow, church-going, plus kind and generous, funny, and friendly. He was passionate about physical fitness and was “into” health food (smoothies, granola, and vitamins) in the ’60s … before it became mainstream. He worked out daily until he was well into his 90s!

No services are planned. His final resting place will be in Carlinville, Ill., along with Peg and baby son JFS Jr.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to your favorite charity. That would make him happy!

Lisa Urban

Lisa Jayne (Webb) Urban, 66, originally from Wichita, Kansas, passed away peacefully, reuniting with her parents in heaven, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025, in Tucson, Ariz. In her passing, Lisa helped extend the lives of three people through organ donation. She will be remembered for the happiness she projected throughout her life, through her smile, generosity, and love for life and those around her.

Funeral Service will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at First Evangelical Free Church. Graveside Service will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Highland Cemetery, Ashland, Kansas.

Lisa was born in St. Louis, Mo., on Aug. 4, 1958, to Marc and Jayne Webb. Lisa attended Wichita Southeast High School, graduating in 1976. She then earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Emporia State University, where she was a member of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority.

Lisa returned to Wichita, Kansas, to embark on her career in Human Resources, first at Boeing and later with Spirit Aerosystems. While at Spirit, Lisa made lifelong friends and enjoyed making those she worked with smile with her love for all things fashion. Lisa retired from Spirit AeroSystems in 2014.

Lisa and her husband, Forrest, then embarked on a journey of travel and golf. They relocated to Tucson, Ariz., residing in the SaddleBrooke community. Lisa enjoyed being an active member of her community, joining multiple committees where she made many friends and a lasting impact.

Lisa deeply loved her children and grandchildren, and took immense joy in spending time with them. She traveled back to Wichita often to attend sporting events, birthdays, and celebrations.

Preceded in death by her father, Marc Webb; mother and step-father, Jayne and O.D. Ilseng.

Survived by her husband, Forrest Eugene Urban of Tucson, Ariz.; son, Jarrod (Tara) Urban of Hutchinson, Kansas; daughters, Marissa (Craig) May of Park City, Kansas, Brekke (Eric) Simmons of Wichita; stepmother, Marilyn Webb; brothers, Jim (Lana) Webb of St. Simons Island, Ga., Gregg Webb of Kansas City, Kansas; grandchildren, Kobe Simmons, Rilynn Simmons, Kennidee Urban, Daxton Simmons, Dalton Urban, Corra May, Henry May.

Memorials have been established with: Wichita Animal Action League (WAAL), P.O. Box 21401, Wichita, KS 67208; SaddleBrooke Pet Rescue, 15270 N. Oracle Rd., Ste. 124, Box 112, Tucson, AZ 85739.

Services in care of Downing & Lahey Mortuary—East Chapel.