| Georgia Pearl McCartney Burke, 89, of Glenville, West Virginia passed away Tuesday, December 1, 2010 after a brief stay at CAMC Memorial Hospital with her family surrounding her. They would like to acknowledge the assistance of her friends and long-time caregivers Helen Montgomery Steele and Gail Butler.
Georgia Pearl was born August 10, 1921 at Hardman on Grass Run, the daughter of Delbert and Edna Stalnaker. A house fire forced the family to move to Glenville when she was just a girl. Georgia Pearl graduated from Glenville High School and completed a Standard Normal School certificate at Glenville State Teacher's College. She began her teaching career in Gilmer County's one room schools, one of which is reconstructed at Cedar Creek State Park.
After Pearl Harbor, her beau, Loren "Buck" McCartney, was drafted into the Army and Georgia Pearl went to work for the FBI in Washington, DC. Buck and Pearl were married on VJ day, August 14, 1945 in Morgantown, WV. They ran a cinder block manufacturing company in Morgantown until he was recalled to active duty in 1947. Buck reached the rank of Lt. Colonel with her support while she raised children in Japan, France and Korea. One of her proudest accomplishments was the establishment of the Yokohama-American school system for the children of DoD personnel who were stationed in Japan after WWII.
Georgia Pearl finished her BA at GSC in 1954 before joining Buck on yet another overseas assignment. After Buck retired in 1963, the couple returned to Glenville and Pearl, who had taught in the DoD schools, began teaching at Normantown Elementary while pursuing an MA through the WVU extension program. She taught for 17 more years in Gilmer County, serving at Troy, Tanner and Sand Fork Elementary schools, instructing 5th graders in reading and language arts. Upon retiring she traveled to Canada, Hawaii, Alaska and Australia and was active on the boards of the Glenville Presbyterian Church and the Gilmer County Public Library. Georgia Pearl also volunteered as an adult literacy tutor in Glenville. She was an avid supporter of GSC, where Buck had taught for many years, and enjoyed all of the people who worked with "the Colonel" at the college as well as those they met through the local and state Farm Bureau.
Georgia Pearl lost Buck in 1993 after 49 years of marriage. However, she was fortunate to find another beau, Walker Burke of Cedarville. They eloped on June 9, 1995. She enjoyed a special, sweet companionship with Walker for 12 years before he, too, passed away.
Two sons, Patrick (Kitty) and Kevin Terrance (Anna) and one daughter, Kathleen (Tom) Gilbert survive her as do nine grandchildren, Carri Leann Catapano, Brandon, Nathan, Kate, Eric, Travis, Paul, Georgia Elizabeth and Sylvanus McCartney; Mikayla Loren, Clair and Danny Gilbert; and one great grandson, Michael Catapano; her brother, Earl R. Stalnaker (Jody) resides in Charleston.
Her son, CHS Coach Michael E. McCartney (Patsy) preceded her in death, as did Jack V. Stalnaker (Ann) her brother, a former president of Kanawha Union Bank.
A visitation will be held at the Glenville Presbyterian Church, Saturday, Dec. 11 from 3 to 6 p.m. Mrs. Burke's memorial services will be held at the Glenville Presbyterian Church Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 11 a.m. Rev. Patrick McCartney and Rev. David Krum will officiate. Interment will be in the Bethelem Cemetery at Grantsville.
Stump Funeral Home of Grantsville is in charge of arrangements.
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