ERIE — George A. Fager, 77, of rural Erie died at 5:35 a.m. Thursday, June 21, 2012, at his home following a courageous six-year battle with melanoma.

He was born April 8, 1935, in rural St. Paul to William Joseph "Bill" Fager and Sereta Ellen (Glasgow) Fager. He grew up in rural St. Paul where he attended St. Francis Catholic School and was a 1954 graduate of St. Paul High School.

Following high school, he moved to California, where he lived from 1954 to 1959. While in California, he drove a lunch truck before being drafted into the United States Army, where he served six months active duty and six years in the Army Reserve before returning to St. Paul.

He married Judith A. "Judy" VanLeeuwen on July 16, 1966, in St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. George was engaged in farming and raising cattle his entire adult life until his health failed.

He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus and American Legion Post No. 116 in St. Paul. He was always actively involved in his children’s and grandchildren’s activities and had coached his children’s various teams through the years. In younger years, he enjoyed playing fastpitch softball in Southeast Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri and was an avid St. Louis Cardinal and University of Kansas basketball fan. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.

Survivors include his wife, Judy Fager of the home; two sons, Jim Fager and his wife, Erin, of Overland Park and Stacey Fager and his wife, Jo, of Iola; a daughter, Emily Gronau and her husband, Mike, of Girard; a daughter-in-law, Cindy Fager-Findley of Kewadin, Mich.; 13 grandchildren, Lauren, Sereta, Catrina and Robert Fager. Holden and Olivia Fager , Anna, Lily and Josie Gronau, Allie, Sam, Jackie and Ben Fager; a brother, Paul Raymond "Rip" Fager of Indianapolis, Ind.; a sister, Doris Ann Paine of Reno, Nev.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by five brothers, Callistus "Click" Fager, Harold Fager, Edward "Eddie" Fager, Ralph Fager and Ronald "Sneeze" Fager; a sister, Olive Mae Toler; and two sons, infant Robert Eugene Fager and his twin brother, William Joseph "Billy" Fager, who died July 9, 2004.

The Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. today at St. Francis Catholic Church in St. Paul. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the George Fager Memorial Fund to be used for St. Paul athletics or to the St. Francis Catholic Church. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, 67357.

Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com.