George Aziz

George J. Aziz, Sr., of Worcester, Massachusetts, died on October 7 at the age of 94, surrounded by family.

He leaves his wife, Joan (Rahaim) Aziz; five children: Michael Aziz of Cambridge and his partner Julie Taylor, Linda Betzig of Bolton and her husband Dikran Betzig, George Aziz, Jr., of West Boylston and his wife Deborah Bousquet, Paul Aziz of North Hampton, NH and his wife Janet Allen; and Mary Bousquet of San Diego, CA and her husband Glen Bousquet; and ten grandchildren: Natalya Betzig of Dedham, Alexie Betzig of Boylston, Nicole Pepe of Worcester, Olivia Aziz of Holden, Adele Aziz of Murcia, Spain, Kylene Aziz of Amherst, Emma Bousquet of San Diego, Jacob Aziz of West Boylston, Mariele Aziz of Bar Harbor, ME, and Aleia Bousquet of San Diego. He is also survived by his ex daughter-in-law Michele Forinash of Maynard.

He was born in Gardner on October 15, 1924, son of Joseph and Adele Aziz. His brothers Joseph, of Lunenburg, and John, of Falmouth, pre-deceased him in 2011 and 2014 respectively.

He graduated from the Sacred Heart School in Gardner in 1939 and from the Gardner High School in 1943. He received a bachelor's degree in public relations from Boston University in 1950. Upon graduation he accepted a position as editor of the university's alumni magazine, BOSTONIA, a position he held until 1953. He earned a Master's degree at Worcester State College in 1963.

Following graduation from high school he served in the U.S. Army during World War II with the U.S. Army combat engineers in North Africa and Italy, and with the 925th Field Artillery Battalion of the 100th Infantry Division in the invasion of Southern France and into Germany with the U.S. 7th Army. He also served in the Army of Occupation in Germany. During the Occupation he wrote for and edited the 925th Battalion's weekly newspaper, The Battalion Weekly. He was a former news reporter for the Gardner News, and the advertising and service manager for the O.W. Siebert Co. in Gardner from 1952 to 1956.

He and his family moved from Gardner to West Boylston in 1957 when he was appointed director of public relations, and later, dean of students, at Becker College in Worcester. In 1970 he accepted a position as the registrar at Fitchburg State College where he remained until 1981. Following that position he was employed at the Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard as a systems analyst in Corporate Personnel and the marketing communications manager for the Corporate Export and Product Strategies Groups until his retirement in 1990.

He was a past president of the Lebanon-American Association in Gardner, a member of Gardner Council, Knights of Columbus, and former chairman of West
Boylston Elder Services, Inc., a past president of the West Boylston Parent-Teachers Association and a member of the West Boylston Housing Partnership. He served for many years as a volunteer chef at the Mustard Seed Soup Kitchen in Worcester, and delivered meals-on-wheels for a number of years to home-bound residents of West Boylston. He coached Little League baseball, served as a Cub Scout Den Leader and a committee member of Boy Scout Troop 68 in West Boylston. He was a member of Post 6907 Veterans of Foreign Wars of West Boylston and the Harold N. Keith American Legion Post 204.

He was a long-time member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, having served as a Lector, CCD instructor and member of the Parish Council. An avid ski and tennis enthusiast, he was a lifetime member of the Mount Wachusett Old Timer's Ski Club and the Norton Co. Retiree's Tennis Club. He and his family and countless numbers of relatives and friends enjoyed many happy years and vacations at their summer cottages in South Yarmouth on Cape Cod.

Funeral arrangements:

Visiting hours will be Sunday October 13 from 2:00 to 5:00 at Fay Brothers. Funeral Home, 1 West Boylston Street, West Boylston MA 01583.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday October 14 at 11:00 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, 111 Worcester Street, West Boylston MA 01583.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to ALSAC for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.