George Clifford Loucks

George Clifford Loucks, age 81, of Ozark, Arkansas, died, Sunday, March 17, 2024 in Ozark, Arkansas. He was born July 10, 1942 in Los Angeles, California, to Clifford and Irene Brown Loucks, and had an older brother, Robert. George grew up in Los Angeles, and enlisted in the Army at age 22 after graduating at Mt. San Antonio College in Los Angeles County. After serving in Germany from 1964 to 1967, he was an Army Reservist for 3 years and was honorably discharged on March 31, 1970. He has degrees from Western Australia Institute of Technology, Department of Agriculture-Western Australia, South Dakota State University, Mississippi State University, University of Wisconsin, Fresno State College, University of Arkansas Master of Science and Master of Education, Arkansas Tech University, and Cossatot Community College. George loved to learn and had a great affection for books, which is evidenced by his extensive personal library of books on gardening, cooking, agriculture, and his favorite hobby of wine, to name a few of his interests. He was licensed to teach in New Mexico, Kansas, Arkansas and Iowa, and was a member of the American Society for Enology and Viticulture. George had always planned to join the Peace Corp, and that desire brought him to Ozark to study at Arkansas Tech University in the grape and wine program offered through VESTA, the Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance partnership with ATU-Ozark. As George prepared to enter the Peace Corp, his physical exam revealed cancer that had to be dealt with first. George fought hard to be cancer-free so that he could serve in the Peace Corp, and that remained his goal all through the years. George has so much knowledge about Nepal, the country he chose to serve in, and did extensive research on the Peace Corp, foreign countries, different languages, and agriculture in a third-world country. If anyone was interested in a topic he was familiar with, George was not shy about sharing his knowledge. He was a Master Gardener in Washington County and joined the Franklin County Master Gardeners once he moved to Ozark. George loved to share plants with others, and his favorite to give were rooted cuttings of his Tahitian Bridal Veil plant. Most every desk at the Fayetteville VA hospital and Highland Oncology Clinic have one of George’s plants. He also liked to shop the thrift stores for antique silverware, the real silver pieces, that he made wind chimes with. Many people enjoy the sound of music from one of his hand-made chimes. George liked to plan ahead and always had note cards or a pad of paper and several pencils to make notes about what he wanted to get done or his plans for the next day. Many of his notecards were in his files and boxes of information with plant cutting notes, Master Gardener meeting notes, his plans for the Peace Corp, and his favorite recipes. With his strong desire to share information with others, there is no estimate as to the number of lives George has enriched through his love of education and knowledge. May he now rest peacefully. Visitation will be 2:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M., Sunday March 24, 2024 at Shaffer Funeral Home, 2315 West Commercial Street in Ozark, with Veronica Post officiating. Cremation arrangements will be Made under the direction of Shaffer Funeral Home in Ozark. To leave an online memorial visit www.shafferfuneralhomeweb.com

George Clifford Loucks

July 10, 1942 - March 17, 2024