In memoriam: George Bismore, 1951 - 2010

George Allen Bismore, 59, a longtime staff member at Western Washington University, passed away Nov. 26. Bismore recently was diagnosed as having ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Bismore was born April 19, 1951, in Everett to Raymond and Gladys (Omodt) Bismore. He graduated from Everett High School in 1969 and from Washington State University in 1973 with a degree in psychology. He worked in printing at WWU for 15 years, mostly in the Old Main, Parks Hall and Haggard Hall copy centers.

"George processed so many jobs for us over the years and always dealt with the chronic last-minute faculty with a lot of patience," says Viva Barnes, a staff member with the WWU Department of Anthropology. "I will remember him with great appreciation and gratitude for all he did for our department."

That's the sort of guy George was, his colleagues say. Patient and kind, always eager to help.

"My interactions with George were mainly trading greetings outdoors and also chatting while he ran a copy job for me," says James Loucky, a professor of anthropology at WWU. "He was calm and gracious, even when I needed something with only minutes to spare."

After his father passed away in 2006, George was officially diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism that makes interpersonal communication more challenging.

"I admired George's steadfast ability to keep trying throughout this whole ordeal," says Bismore's longtime friend and coworker Kathy Tadlock. "He fought to hang on and keep a normal life right through to the end. This is a devastating disease, and my heart ached that he was put through such misery - he deserved better out of life."

To learn how to relate better with others, George took Improv classes at The Upfront Theatre in Bellingham and made close friends of the performers and workers there.

"George was a student of the Upfront for close to three years," says Kimberly Anderson, business director at the theater. "The classes helped to keep him out of his shell, helped to keep him from going more into himself," which is common among those with Asperger's.

"We became kind of his family," Anderson says. "George was just a fun man. He had these great, catchy one-liners, and he had really lovely timing. We just loved George."

"George overcame his stage-nervousness through improvisation and produced an ability to say just the right thing," says Billy Tierney, the Upfront artistic director and an instructor of George's. "He took the time to think about what he wanted to say, and then would delight anyone watching with the timing of his delivery. George was a pleasure to have in class, and his style will be missed."

After he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, which affected his speech, improv classes didn't work well for George any more. But he still showed up regularly at the theater to watch shows and be a part of the continuous action.

"As his disease progressed, all of us rallied around him," Anderson says, "caring for him physically and emotionally. Often we would just sit with him and keep him company. He'll really be missed around here."

Bismore was a creative artist who enjoyed painting, drawing, writing and photography. He shared a few of his photos with Western Today last year; click here to view. He had a sweet and gentle spirit and had a unique style of humor.

"George was always friendly, ready with a pleasantry and a smile," says Kathleen Young, an associate professor of anthropology. "I remember him as a friend and his presence on campus cheered me up even when we were bustling about trying to get things done in a hurry for large classes. He watched people and seemed to wryly note everything that went on around him, sincerely interested in people. I am going to miss him."

It was obvious that Bismore looked forward to the times he got to perform improv, says Peter Haug, a WWU professor of decision sciences.

"George led a quiet life, but he touched the lives of many people through his friendly nature," Haug says. "He always acted professionally in fulfilling his work responsibilities while sharing insights into his life and beliefs through delightful conversations. He will be missed."

George Bismore was preceded in death by his mother, Gladys, in 2001, and father, Ray, in 2006. He is survived by his brothers John Bismore (wife Debra) and Ralph Bismore; uncle Joe (and the other) Gladys Bismore; his second cousin, Kari Quaas; local first cousins Cathy Berry, Jeanne Hisey, Barb Roetcisoender, Laura Petersen, Linda Wgeishofski and their families; first cousins Karen Omodt and Steve Omodt; many Bismore relatives on the east coast; and even more family in Norway; his good friend Jen Warwick; and many friends and coworkers from WWU and The Upfront Theatre.

A celebration of George’s life will be held at Westford Funeral Home at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, followed by an afterparty at the Upfront Theatre. Memorials may be made to ALS Association Evergreen Chapter, PO Box 5691, Bellingham, WA 98227.

More memories of George Bismore:

"Apart from his unfailing helpfulness, my strongest memory of George is him sitting on one of the wooden benches at the ground floor entry to Arntzen Hall, reading contemplatively from a small book. I never asked him what he was reading, but always assumed it was devotional. I admired his commitment to whatever it was, because sometimes he would be in the midst of a between-class rush of people going in and out of Arntzen Hall." -Sarah Campbell, WWU professor of anthropology

"George Bismore worked in the Copy Duplicating Center in Parks Hall for many years, and I had the great honor and pleasure of interacting with and knowing George during that time. I always found George to be a fascinating and friendly person, who had a keen desire for learning through reading, radio programs and television productions. George always had the radio playing in his room on news or various talk shows, and he appreciated opportunities to talk about the events of the day. George impressed me with how responsive and efficient he was in my copy requests, and I never had him say that he could not meet my deadlines. He would quietly and diligently work away in his position, and he surprised me many times at getting the work done exactly as I had requested, even when the lead times were very short. George would also take time to talk and comment about what was happening in his life or with political or university events." -Peter Haug, WWU professor of decision sciences

"I enjoyed his droll sense of humor, his competence and his attention to detail. While I’m not able to identify specific moments, my memories are fond and I always recognized his voice when he called. He was a constant in my career here at Western and he will be missed by hundreds." -Jennie Huber, History Department staff

"Back when he was well, we would often get coffee and talk about art and life. He's very analytical, very straight, and I'm definitely more emotionally based, so our conversations were always interesting. I'm going to miss that little George smile." -Kimberly Anderson, Upfront Theatre business manager

"I will always think of George as a New Englander - tall, handsome, in soft khakis and a button-up shirt, with a gentle voice and a modest manner that just hinted at his rich inner world. It wasn't until the last month of his life that I learned that George was a painter - and when I saw his paintings I was astounded at their vibrancy, their sophistication. George himself was vibrant and sophisticated. He had a dry, honest sense of humor, and for a man who struggled to be connected to others, he was one of the most present, kind souls I have met. I miss him." -Oona Zoya Sherman, Upfront Theatre instructor

"George seemed to always have talk shows playing on his radio, and we would often engage in discussions about the current topic he was listening to. George impressed me with his depth of knowledge and mostly his objective analysis and opinions, which often led to respectful debate when our opinions diverged. Always congenial and helpful, George’s presence will be missed." -Scott Roberts, MSCM program manager at WWU

"George was just a very nice, gentle soul. Very friendly and welcoming. I saw a lot of change in George from the time I first met him, with him coming out of his shell. He was just a great guy to be around. It was nice to have him find a home here in our community. In his comedy, he was not the slapstick guy; he was not the big, physical guy jumping around the stage and using funny voices. He was very dry and sincere, and had that great sense of timing. He was hilarious. A very cool guy to be around." -Galen Emanuele, Upfront Theatre marketing and sales director