George Jacob Trehub, beloved husband of Marion Gitlen Trehub, passed away May 23, 2012, at his home in West Hartford, surrounded by his loving family and friends.
George was born in Malden, MA, on May 21, 1916. George and his younger brother, Arnold, were the sons of Rose and Clarence Trehub, who emigrated to the United States from Russia to escape oppression under the czars.
Clarence passed away while George was still a teenager, and the family struggled financially; but they survived the Great Depression, working and cooperating with their nearby extended family. As a result, he learned at an early age to be hard working and to do what he could to help provide for his family’s needs. A brilliant student, he was accepted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but the cost was too high; he transferred to Tufts University, and worked nights as a factory watchman in order to pay for his own education and to help pay for his brother’s education.
George graduated from Tufts in 1940 with a degree in electrical engineering. After college he served his country working as an inspector of materials for the Navy Department. He moved to Hartford in the course of this work and it was there that he met his wife Marion. He loves to tell the story of how the two of them met; it was love at first sight, and they would have been married 71 years this August.
After World War II, he used his engineering skills to start Coating Products, a company to metalize plastic film. George and Marion worked together to help assemble the equipment for this manufacturing process, which resulted in a novel way to make the product known as Mylar. Eventually he developed a new way to make sequins for use in the fashion industry; he traveled to France to oversee production of the film he used.
Some of his Mylar product was used as weather balloon material for NASA. His business grew quite successfully, and he was able to provide his wife and three children with a wonderful life. After several decades, Coating Products was bought by Tyco International, the first business acquired by what became the Tyco conglomerate.
But just as important as his own family’s financial well being, he felt the need to help those less fortunate and his generosity has helped many individuals and organizations. He was a founding member of Beth El Temple of West Hartford, and a strong supporter of the State of Israel and the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford.
Outside of his business, he enjoyed many social activities including playing duplicate bridge with his wife (they both attained the rank of Life Master), traveling, fishing, and golf, among other things. At one point he was the co-owner of a stable of racehorses. He was a former member of Tumblebrook Country Club, Bloomfield, and of the Toppers. He was a supporter and patron of the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam. George and Marion traveled widely, to Israel and to Italy, the Canadian Rockies. the American West, and other destinations. They spent twenty winters in Coronado, CA, and other winter destinations including Hawaii, Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. He loved watching the UCONN women’s basketball games and even in the last months of his life, he would watch the games, cheering them on excitedly, calling out the names of the players. He also loved watching the New England Patriots. A lifelong Red Sox fan, he really hated seeing their performance in the final season of his life. He always seemed to find something good to say about everything, so this was probably one of the few things that he expressed displeasure in.
He was an incredibly wise and kind man who loved to share wonderful stories about the things he experienced in his lifetime right up to his last days. He was quite simply a most loving, caring man who touched the lives of many. He will be greatly missed.
He leaves behind his wife, Marion, of West Hartford; daughter Claire Waller of Niantic, CT; son Steven and Pamela Trehub of Placerville, CA; and son Martin and Margaret Trehub of Waterford, CT. He also leaves behind: four grandchildren: Alexandra Latham Johnson and Ken; Matthew Trehub and Jennifer; Sarah Waller; and Henry Trehub; and a great grandchild, Benjamin Johnson. Additionally, he is survived by brother Arnold Trehub and sister-in-law Elaine; brother-in-law Howard Gitlen; former daughter-in-law Fredda Trehub; nephews Craig and Aaron Trehub and nephews Scott and Jonathan Gitlen; a special cousin, Emma Karlin; dear cousins Irvin and Faye Krantz; and cousins Howard and Elaine Smith, Harvey Smith, Gloria and Edwin Glazer, and Marvin and Roberta Smith. George will also be missed by his loving caregivers, Dariyah Kosmyrna, Pat Brereton-Cambridge, Cynthia Williams, Stephane Julian, and Nicole Gonsalves, special friend Carolyn Levine, and a host of friends.
Funeral services will be held at Beth El Temple, 2626 Albany Ave., West Hartford, TODAY, FRIDAY, MAY 25, 2012 at 10:00 AM, with interment following in Beth El Cemetery, Arch Road, Avon. A memorial evening will be observed at his residence on that same day. Contributions in George’s memory may be directed to Foodshare, 450 Woodland Ave., Bloomfield 06002. Arrangements are entrusted to Weinstein Mortuary, Hartford. For further information, directions, or to sign the guest book for George, please visit online at www.weinsteinmortuary.com/funerals.cfm
