George William ‘Sonny’ Mineau
BAY CITY, Texas — George William “Sonny” Mineau passed away Saturday, January 9, 2021. He is preceded in death by his mother, Shirley Pease Mineau; son, Michael Dean Mineau; brothers, Robert Mineau, twins Ronald and Donald Mineau; his Uncle Wes Pease, Aunt Char Harris; Marlene Johnson, Wesley, James, Dennis, Willard, and Nancy Harris. Left to cherish George’s memory are his dear friend and companion, Carol Kurth; daughters, Cheryl Shufflebarger and husband, Keith, Leslei Enright and husband, Tim; sisters, Barbara Busbani and husband, Buzz, Anette Russell and husband, Ted, Melissa Ward and husband, Dan, Katrin Pottinger and husband, Keith, Roxanne Groll, and husband, David; brothers, Charles Mineau, and wife, Helen, Jeffery Mineau and wife, Wanda; his beloved Harris family, Beverly Mock, Victor Harris, Brenda Milkovich, Gregory Harris, Terry Harris, Jeffrey Harris, Gwendolyn Bruzas, Sally Weinland and Thomas Harris; eight grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren along with a host of other family and dear friends.
George had a drill sergeant presence, but he was a big-hearted, loving, and giving brother, uncle, Daddy, Gramps, and friend. He proudly served his country in the United States Air Force as a flight engineer on many different aircraft, most notably the C-47, retiring honorably after 22 years as a master sergeant, with a Distinguished Flying Cross among many other awards and medals. George was able to reconnect with a few of his military brothers, which meant the world to him; among these brothers were a group of Laotian Air Force men that he was honored to serve alongside. In his last hours, George expressed he would fly anywhere with these men! His love for flying carried over to his civilian life, where George held a pilots license for many years. With his strong work ethic, he wasted no time moving onto his second successful career with Phillips 66, also retiring after 22 years. George was a captivating storyteller, pulling his audience in with a smile that let you know George was reliving the moment. From the time George was a young boy, he loved the outdoors. George and his childhood friends spent hours and days camping, hunting, and fishing. Even in his last days, George could recall these friends by name and specific memories. George was an expert marksman, hunter, and avid fisherman. After retiring, he loved spending summers at his cabin on the river near Gladstone, Mich., where he was born and raised. After a couple of Upper Peninsula winters, he decided that Texas was the perfect winter spot near family in Bay City. George was a generous, hard-working, tell it like it is man, he lived life to the fullest, and he will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Thank you Sandy Wanic and family for taking care of dad.
Our family is grateful for all who have reached out to send flowers or gifts; we believe Daddy’s memory would best be honored by helping a family in need, donating to a local charity or church.