George Henry Murrmann was born in Perrysville, Ind., on Nov. 21, 1918, in an original Sears catalog house on the family farm. His family had moved there to farm (built the Sears model house on their own) on "Murrmann" lane, as it was known. As the youngest of 12 children, his father, George J. proclaimed, "Now I've got my dozen!"
George graduated from Danville High School in 1937 as a decorated member of the swim team. He joined the Air Corps (later known as the Air Force) in 1942 for "four years, eight months and 22 days." While in the corps, he was an instructor responsible for instrument training on airplanes.
After his service, he moved to Minneapolis to attend trade school to become a lithographer. (Linotype was once the only way type was set through a detailed process operating a large machine requiring dexterity and mechanical expertise.) After graduating, he moved to Washington, D.C., to work for Gannett at the Washington Star newspaper.
In 1959, he met Danuta Caton (born Buczak in Poland) at a YMCA dance in Dupont Circle. They married within three months on April 11, 1959. After the birth of their daughters, Susan and Anita, they moved to Maryland and subsequently to Danville, where George continued his work for another Gannett property, The Commercial-News.
He retired in 1980 and enjoyed volunteering as a Red Vest for United Samaritans Hospital (now Presence) and as a volunteer in helping others learn to read.
After the passing of his wife Danuta in 1996, George continued volunteering and also took up euchre and became an avid player four to five days per week at CRIS (senior center), where he formed a long-lasting set of friends.
George also found acting and singing as a new passion. He had a vast repertoire of songs by the likes of Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and Eddie Albert. He was a regular at the 610 Tap and Sarge's for karaoke on Friday nights where he was an inspiration to a much younger crowd.
He started acting with the Katherine Randolph Theater in 2014 with a role as the "old" cat in the production of "Cats." He was the oldest person to appear in a musical and played Tinsworthy in a DLO production of "9 to 5."
He enjoyed traveling to Europe (visiting his wife's family in Poland), Hawaii, cruises and Vegas - anywhere where he could hear music.
A longtime fan of the "Price is Right," George attended a taping of the "Price is Right" as a guest of CBS for his 90th birthday. When asked by Drew Carey what his secret to living a long life was, he replied, "I don't drink, I exercise and I watch the 'Price is Right' every day."
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