George Angleton of Fort Collins passed away peacefully on July 2 after a period of declining health. He was born on May 23, 1927, in Pontiac, MI, to his parents Laurel and Elizabeth Angleton.
He attended Pontiac High School where he learned to play the French horn and developed his practical joking skills. He served in the Air Force during World War II then completed his BS in physics at Michigan State University. He continued his education with an MS in physics at the University of Rochester. His graduate work began as a scientist in the Health Division at Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico. This is where he met and married the love and joy of his life and constant companion for 62 years, Doris Ranken. He and Doris moved to Michigan to continue graduate work at the University of Michigan. He completed his PhD in radiation biology and statistics at the Medical College of Virginia and his post-doc at the University of North Carolina.
During their travels he and Doris added four of their five girls, two German Shepherd dogs and a cat to their crew. He spent summers working as a scientist for Martin Marietta in Denver. Eventually they moved to Ft Collins and added one more daughter to the bunch. There George began a career he loved at Colorado State University as a Professor of radiation biology and biostatistics where he worked for 32 years. He published numerous papers and a book on topics related to low level radiation and multivariate statistics. He was instrumental in creating the first computer center at the university’s veterinary hospital in Ft. Collins.
He was forever an exceptional teacher to his students, his children and strangers he would meet, believing learning and forward progress, even in small steps, were accomplishments to celebrate. George was best known for his love of his family and the adventures he lead them on, his incredible wit, the dream home he and Doris designed and built in Florida, his love of music – he was actively participating in choral groups in Florida and Colorado and still taking French horn lessons — a firm handshake, a good martini and good conversation.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Laurel and Elizabeth Angleton, and sister, Alice Furlong, all of Pontiac, MI, and his eldest daughter, Leslie Angleton of Ft. Collins. He is survived by his loving wife Doris Angleton and four daughters: Stephanie Strafach (Frank) of Johnstown; Carolyn Angleton of Meadow Vista, California; Jennifer Angleton (Greg Panno) of Milford, MA; and Alyson Humbert (Frank) of Windsor, and 10 grandchildren; Brittany, Courtney and Tyler Larson; Louisa and Clemens Angleton; Marcello and Gianni Panno; Ashley, Taylor and Melissa Humbert.
He will be missed tremendously by all who knew him and cherished him but he has left many wonderful memories and stories for us all. Funeral arrangements were made by Allnutt Funeral Home in Fort Collins. There will be a visitation on the evening of Thursday July 6. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book where additional information on funeral services can be found.
Published in The Coloradoan from July 4 to July 5, 2017
