George W. Nagorny

George W. Nagorny, 85, of West Chester, departed this life on Tuesday, August 30, 2022, at Arbor Square in West Chester. He was the beloved husband of the late Jacqueline Ann Lamb Nagorny (Jackie), who died in 2017. Born in the Borough of Oakland, Pennsylvania, across the river from the Borough of Susquehanna Depot, George was the youngest of the four children (2 girls, 2 boys) born to the late William Jason Nagorny and Mary Chominski Nagorny.

George and Jackie, who raised their family in Springfield (Delco), were members of Princeton Presbyterian Church, active in the community with League of Women Voters, coaching baseball, and joining with others in their neighborhood who organized “Stop the Mall,” and local citizens group trying to stop the development of the Springfield Mall. George and Jackie later moved to West Chester Borough to be near two of their grandchildren, where they lived for over 20 years. They were both members of First Presbyterian Church of West Chester, volunteered time at Safe Harbor Homeless Shelter in the Borough, and were devoted grandparents and babysitters to their grandchildren. They truly believed we are ALL God's children, and we should all find ways to share God's love with our sisters and brothers.

George received his BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State in 1959, where he was also a Naval ROTC candidate and a fraternity brother at Alpha Tau Omega (ATO). After graduating from Penn State, George attended Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, Rhode Island, where he graduated first in his class of 300 Naval Officer candidates, earning the legendary gilded saber awarded to the top graduate. After serving his 4 years of active duty in the U.S. Navy (as required for ROTC candidates), he retired from active duty with rank of Commander, and worked as a civilian mechanical engineer at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for well over 30 years.

George was a man of many talents, whether it be repairing the car or the furnace, enjoying esoteric conversations about most anything, and especially, spending time with his family and friends. In the end, George knew it was time to return to the spiritual arms of his lovely and loving wife and soulmate, Jackie.

He is survived by his children, Jeff (Kathy) Nagorny of West Chester, and Beth (Tom) Semptimphelter of Colorado, and grandchildren, Stephen Semptimphelter, Katrina Nagorny, and Jason Nagorny. He was preceded in death by his 3 siblings, Olga Norton, Mary Ann Throup, and Bill Nagorny.

A Celebration of Life memorial service is planned for Saturday, October 15, 2022, at First Presbyterian Church, West Chester (First Pres), 130 W. Miner St. West Chester, PA 19382. Visitation will start at 11:00 AM, and the Memorial Service at 12:00 Noon. For those unable to attend in person, the Memorial Service will be livestreamed by First Pres on their website (https://www.firstpreswc.com), and a recording of the service will also be posted on the church’s website.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to an organization close to George and Jackie’s heart, Safe Harbor of Chester County. Safe Harbor is a non-profit whose mission is “to provide housing, food, and access to support services in a structured environment for homeless single men and homeless single women in Chester County.”

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Wilde Funeral Home of Parkesburg. Online condolences can be posted at www.wildefuneralhome.com