George J. Broadwell

George J. Broadwell, age 92, of Kendal at Ithaca, passed away on July 9, 2022.

A well-loved father, grandfather, community member and professor emeritus, George will be missed by many. Well known and liked by residents and staff alike, George was a resident at Kendal at Ithaca for the last 10 years of his life. 

George was born January 14, 1930 in Troy, NY to the late Emerson Dewitt Broadwell and Virginia Broadwell (Amsden). His father was a professor of electrical engineering at RPI and his mother a skilled homemaker and elementary school teacher.

George graduated from Troy High School in 1947.  He then went to Sampson College in Sampson, NY. George served in the US Army and for a year he was stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma where he attended artillery school. After discharge from the Army, he attended Champlain College in Plattsburgh, NY in an agricultural program.  He also worked on a dairy farm near Troy, NY for a year. He then transferred to the College of Agriculture at Cornell University and graduated in 1953. After graduation, George moved to Vermont and worked as a Cooperative Extension field agent residing in Chelsea and Brattleboro, VT for 5 years.  It was during this time that he was invited to spend a year in Washington, DC as a National 4-H Fellow for the US Department of Agriculture. Only five people were chosen for this prestigious fellowship and it was there that George met his first wife, Doris McDaniel, of Oklahoma. A scholar and 4-H Fellow in her own right, Doris had many accomplishments and in 1957 they were married at her family home in Lubbock, Texas.

As a graduate student at the Institute for Child Study at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD, George earned his Master’s Degree in Education.  Eventually George and Doris settled in Trumansburg, NY where they raised 3 children. And in 1958, he was asked by Cornell to serve a 17-month appointment with the State of NY 4-H Administrative Staff at Cornell. This led to a 30-year career where he earned a PhD in Education and was made Assistant Director of Cornell Cooperative Extension, serving as director of the New York State 4-H program, additionally being responsible for the Cooperative Extension Staff Development and Recruitment Program. He also held a Professorial Appointment in the Department of Education, where he taught and counseled graduate students. He retired in 1988 as a Professor Emeritus.

Although George cherished his educational and professional accomplishments, he retired early and really began to enjoy life. He met and married his second wife Joann Broadwell (Hayes) in 1987. George and Joann were completely compatible, making the most of their 30 years together. They enjoyed traveling extensively in their large motor home, visiting most of the 50 states and then settling into a second home in Florida. George and Joann also spent time working for H&R Block as tax preparers.  He also enjoyed woodworking in his home woodshop and cutting trees at Moore’s Christmas Tree Farm for the holiday season – in short, keeping busy and doing the things he enjoyed most.

George was an avid churchgoer and attended the Lansing United Methodist Church, where he and Joann were involved members of the congregation. George had many other accomplishments for which he would like to be remembered: Secretary to Kiwanis Club of Schenectady, Boy Scout Merit Badge Counselor, Member and President of Trumansburg Board of Education, Volunteer 4-H Club Leader, Chairman of the Trumansburg Zoning Commission, and Chair of the Board of Zoning Appeals. He also taught Sunday School at the Ithaca Baptist Church and The Federated Church of Ulysses. George was also a charitable supporter of many organizations, including Planned Parenthood, The Community Foundation, Food Bank of the Southern Tier as well as being a strong advocate for women’s rights.

There are a few other things for which George should be remembered besides all of his accolades; he should be remembered for his generosity and good cheer, his dry sense of humor and subtle wit, his steady temper and his reliability. All these things are the attributes that he will be remembered for and his legacy to those who loved and knew him. He will be well and fondly remembered by many and honored as a good friend and caring father.

He is survived by his children, Kenneth Broadwell (Jes) of Ithaca, NY and Elizabeth Morway (Robert) of Charlestown, NH; stepchildren, Reverend David Hays (Robyn) of Dryden, NY, Elizabeth Hays of Spencer, NY and Robert Hays (Amy) of Laguna Niguel, CA; ten grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; nephews; a great nephew; and nieces. He was predeceased by his wife of 29 years, Josephine Ann Broadwell, and son, Lawrence Dewitt Broadwell.

The family would like you to join them in a celebration of his life at Lansing United Methodist Church on Thursday, July 14, 2022, from 1-3pm followed by light refreshments and from 5-8pm at the Broadwell Residence at 16 Elm St in Trumansburg, NY. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to the building fund at Lansing United Methodist Church.