Dr. George R. Prigan

Dr. George Richard Prigan, age 96, of Lebanon, Ohio, passed away at Otterbein SeniorLife Lebanon.

He was preceded in death by his wife, June E. (Groth) Prigan; his son, Richard Scott Prigan (married to Carol (Ludtke) Prigan until his death); and his parents, George F. Prigan and Clara V. (Fox) Prigan. He leaves behind his daughters, Sara E. Prigan and Susan A. Prigan (Beth Lohner, partner); his granddaughter, Rosa C. Prigan (Travis Waymon, partner); and his sister, Bernardine (Prigan) Jerina (married to the late Emil Jerina).

George was born on February 10, 1930, in a farmhouse in the Town of Aurora, Waushara County, Wisconsin. He graduated from Boys' Technical High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Lynde & Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School), where he was one of the school’s top swimmers. He then graduated from the Milwaukee State Teachers College (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) and worked as an elementary school teacher. He served 4 years in the Army Reserve in Wisconsin, followed by 5 years of active duty service as a U.S. Naval Reserve Officer in Long Beach, California. He served aboard the USS McKean DDR-784 as a Lieutenant. After his honorable discharge from military service (1958), he attended Northwestern University Dental School, graduated in 1962, and practiced dentistry in Cincinnati, Ohio, for many years.

He was a 60-year member of College Hill-Harry S. Johnson Lodge #641, and served as the Worshipful Master in 1971. He was also a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, in Mount Healthy, Ohio.

A throughline in his life was swimming, which he did for decades until his health prevented it at around age 94. He initially joined the swim team in high school because the locker room enabled him to take hot showers, something he could not do at home. He excelled at competitive swimming in high school, in college, and with the Powel Crosley, Jr. YMCA Masters. During college, he worked as a lifeguard in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. It was during this job that he met his wife June.

Other activities he enjoyed were fishing, especially in Wisconsin; vacationing, especially in Longboat Key, Florida; and watching sports. Despite not having grown up with pets, he loved the dogs and cats the family adopted over the decades–from the Boxers Gay and Deke, to the Great Dane Julie, to the English Springer Spaniels Chips and Dilly, and others, as well as the many cats his kids foisted on him.

He was interred at Dayton National Cemetery, in Dayton, Ohio, where his wife June was laid to rest in 2013.