MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Members of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and the city of Jacksonville remembered a Marines’ Marine, who changed the lives of many at the Jones Funeral Home in Jacksonville, Jan. 18.
George M. Barrows, who passed away Jan. 13, was a retired Marine who dedicated his life to the Marine Corps and his community. He stayed active in the community and even became the liaison for the mayor of Jacksonville.
"On behalf of a grateful city of Jacksonville, the City Council and our community, I bring condolences to the family of George Barrows," said Sammy Philips, mayor of Jacksonville. "His impact, while unmeasured, is large and vast, and he will be remembered fondly in our community. I cannot know all the accomplishments of George Barrows. I cannot know of his service in the Marine Corps. I cannot know of all the people who called him friend. I cannot know of how his actions will impact our community for years to come. What I do know; is that George Barrows was a passionate man in friendship with others, in love of his Country, in love of his Jacksonville, and of course, in love of his Marine Corps, his veterans and his family."
Barrows served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired from the Marine Corps as a staff sergeant in 1967, but continued to serve in the Marine Corps League.
"The loss of Staff Sergeant George Barrows is one that will be felt not only in our Camp Lejeune and Jacksonville Community, but one that will be felt throughout the Marine Corps. He was the epitome of ‘once a Marine, always a Marine.’ A man every Marine should emulate," said Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley, commanding general, Marine Corps Installations East, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. "He was a great husband and father, but also a Marine to his core. Even after retiring, he never stopped."
Barrows’ came to be known by many throughout his many years of service as active duty and as a civilian. He kept close with veteran affairs and often visited Camp Lejeune.
"His many years of work with veterans' issues earned him the respect and admiration of local and national leaders and his service through three wars says so much about his love for his country," said Weidley.
"I speak for all of us here at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune when I say that he will be sorely missed, and the hole he leaves will be felt for generations to come."
At Barrows’ funeral his longtime friend, Patrick Brent, spoke to all those that attended. He left them with a personal story to help remember Barrows.
"I was ten years old and my grandfather had died. That night my grandmother took me (home) and said Patrick look at the stars, each one of those stars is a hole in the sky for somebody we lost, somebody is up there looking over us and looking out for us," said Brent. "She said Patrick one of those stars is your grandfather and don’t you ever disappoint him or let him down. Up in the Carolina skies there’s a star for George and he’s looking out for everybody. We don’t want to ever let George down."