IN LOVING MEMORY OF GEORGE JOSEPH WOFFINDEN

George Joseph Woffinden died on the afternoon of Friday, 21 August, 2026 in Orem, Utah at the age of 96. He was born 15 May, 1930 in Cedar City, Utah and was the third child born to Franklin Bramwell Woffinden and Lexia Vaneese Harris within a blended family of 10 children. He is preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings and their associated spouses. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Opal, and his 3 children, David, Steven, and Cindy (Corey) Smith, along with his 8 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

His family moved to Orem, Utah when George was 9 years old. George and Opal lived on neighboring farms in Orem. George often visited Opal’s family as her older brother, Douglas, was one of George’s good friends. Opal put off saying “yes” to George’s marriage proposals during the Korean War, until it became certain that he would not be sent overseas to fight in the Korean war, because she did not want to be a young widow like her mother was during the great depression. On 17 August, 1953, they were married in the Salt Lake City, Utah temple. Following their marriage they spent their honeymoon in Texarkana, Texas/Arkansas, where George was stationed in the Army. They were later transferred to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, where Staff Sargent Woffinden worked as a chemist in their research laboratory. Upon discharge from the Army, George accepted a job working for Aerojet General. His scientific areas of focus included high speed photography, rocketry, nuclear physics, and explosives of all types.

His second career was focused on researching weather, environmental toxins, and various types of air pollution. His primary research goals were to design systems, methods, and processes to clean up and remove toxins from the environment.

His third and most satisfying career was focused on research related to interocular lenses (IOL’s) working for IOLAB, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and independently consulted with other companies in the IOL industry.

George, a gentle and soft-spoken leader, team builder, mentor, and a coach having a leadership style focused on being an example of kindness and encouragement. Hardworking, honest, always active, and born with a noble character, he sought to make friends with others. He was often the first person to say “hello” to a stranger or someone new that he saw in church.

George will continue to bless those around him even from heaven through the lessons that he taught his family and friends during his life. Our hearts are filled with joy in knowing that his recent suffering from dementia and other physical afflictions are now over. We can feel his joy in knowing that he is now with his parents, siblings, and friends. He has now been born again to live in a more beautiful, heavenly home. The sorrow we feel at his graduation and birthday in returning to his heavenly home is softened because we know George followed the Savior’s admonition to “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” and “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” We can imagine hearing our Savior, Jesus Christ say, “Well done my good and faithful son, your sacrifice and your consecrated life of service to others is accepted.” You may think that we as a family thought George walked on water. He didn’t, but he did teach each of us how to swim, especially when we got into the deep waters of life. We love you. We are thankful to have had you as a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, neighbor, and friend.

In Lieu of flowers please donate to the Lewy Body Dementia Society, https://www.lbda.org/donate/