George E. Logan

George Edward Logan was born December 20, 1934, in Keystone, West Virginia. He was the second of ten children born to the late Cornelius and Olivene Logan.

The Logan Family moved to Philadelphia, PA in 1944 when George was ten years of age. There, he discovered various ways to make money. His first job was selling ice from a pushcart. He convinced the owner that he was strong enough to push the loaded cart through the neighborhood, even though it was twice his weight. When school started, George made a shoeshine box and purchased a few supplies. On weekends, he walked from his home in North Philadelphia to Center City to find busy corners to solicit customers. He had to vary his route back home to avoid paying “street tax.”

In June 1952, following high school graduation, George enlisted in the Marine Corps where he served three years. In January 1956, George joined the Philadelphia Police Department. He served almost ten years, mostly as a detective in the Homicide and Major Crimes Division. In 1965, George resigned from the department to pursue a career in the private security sector. His career goal was to become director of security for a major corporation. After working for a security consulting company for four years, he was hired by Aamco Industries as an Investigator and two years later became the Director of Security. George received his higher education by attending evening school at Penn, St. Joseph, and St. Mary‘s in northern California.

On July 5, 1959, George married Vera Redfern. From this union came two children, Bruce and Marcia. In 1973, George was hired by Levi Strauss in San Francisco as Assistant Director of Corporate Security. In 1978, George was recruited by General Mills, headquartered in Minneapolis, to be the Director of Corporate Security, a position he held until his retirement in January 2002. During his career, George and a few security colleagues were concerned about the absences of African American and other people of color in management jobs in the security profession. In 1982, he and five other security professionals founded the International Organization of Black Security Executives to help this cause.

During his years in corporate security, his position required extensive domestic and international travel. George had the misfortune of being on a plane that went out of control and fell six miles in 44 seconds. The aircraft was three seconds from impact when the crew finally regained control. The incident was so unusual that a Peabody Award winning television documentary was produced using some of the actual passengers and flight crew to recreate the dive. He portrayed himself in this documentary, The Plane That Fell From the Sky, that aired on CBS. He credited his faith for surviving and for the fact that he was unaffected physically or emotionally. He continued to fly unaffected for the next several decades for business and pleasure.

George enjoyed playing tennis and attending tennis tournaments. He was also an avid track and field fan. He and his family attended three Olympics and several World Track and Field Championships. He rarely missed attending the Penn Relays. George enjoyed the performing arts as well. Attending plays, musicals, and concerts was important to him. He was also an avid reader. James Baldwin and James Michener were his favorite authors. Although George was a private person, his wife Vera urged him to audition for the game show, Name That Tune. He appeared on the show and won over $10,000 in cash and prizes, including a car.

Unfortunately, George lost his beloved wife, Vera after 37 years of marriage. A few years after retirement, he moved to Durham, NC, and was joined by his life partner from Los Angeles, Ann Kusumoto. During retirement, George enjoyed traveling with his daughter, Marcia, to several destinations on his bucket list and spending time with family and friends.

George was preceded in death by his wife Vera Logan; parents, Cornelius and Olivene Logan; sisters, Cordelia Logan, Lottie Jamison, Lacoma Calhoun, Hazel Thompson, Cornelia Brown, Olivene Parson; brothers, Dionnet Logan and Henry Logan. He is survived by his life partner, Ann Kusumoto; children, Bruce (LaVerne) Logan and Marcia Logan; grandchildren, Tyler and Deja Logan; brother, William (Lois) Logan; and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends.

Submitted With Love,

The Family

***George has requested that attendees NOT wear black***

***Masks are required***

The Family has ask that any donations be made to:

-Green Street Friends School Philadelphia Pa
-Southern Poverty Law Center
-American Cancer Society
-International Organization of Black Security Executives. (IOBSE)

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