George Charles Kubin

George Charles Kubin

George Charles Kubin, longtime resident of the Olathe / Montrose area, passed away on Sunday, May 9, 2021, at the age of 89.

George was born on April 19, 1932, in Crosby, Texas to Joseph Charles and Helen (Machala) Kubin.  His earliest memories of farming were trying to keep up with his older siblings while picking cotton.   When he was seven years old, his family moved to Washington.  He attended Catholic schools and remembered working as a kid in the orchards.  The family later purchased a small farm in Ontario, Oregon.  George graduated from Ontario High School in 1950.  He joined the United States Air Force in January of 1951, and he served until he was honorably discharged in January of 1955.  He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was stationed in Germany.  Following his discharge from the Air Force, he joined his parents on the family farm in Olathe.  They later purchased a farm on North Mesa in Montrose, where they raised sugar beets, malt barley for Coors, alfalfa hay and corn.  George also fed cattle.  He was awarded a Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Accomplishment in Soil Conservation from the Shavano Soil Conservation District in 1966.  He served on the Holly Sugar Beet Board as well as many years on the Uncompahgre Valley Waters Users Board.  After Holly Sugar and Coors pulled out of the Valley, he started a commercial cow/calf operation.  He owned a Forest Service permit in Hanks Valley and ran cattle on the same permit as the Appelhanz Brothers.  He also started a registered Hereford cattle herd in the 1970s and grazed them in the summers on Horsefly.  In the 1990s, he began raising registered Angus, as well.  He won many awards for the quality of his registered cattle herds.

On December 1, 1962, he married Mary Josephine Appelhanz at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in Montrose.  They had three children, Rosemary, John and Mary.  They enjoyed 46 years of marriage, until Mary Jo’s death in September of 2009.  George was a very devoted family man and a faithful Catholic.  He has been a long-time member of Saint Joseph Traditional Roman Catholic Church in Olathe.  He was an extremely hard worker and skilled farmer and rancher.  He loved spending time with his family, fishing, agriculture, keeping up with current events, watching sports – especially the Denver Broncos.  He very much enjoyed participating in the local tractor pulls that were held at the fairgrounds in the 1970s and won trophies every year.  George was a patient, kind and quiet man that was always willing to listen and help.  He was very mindful of the importance of good character and being a good example.

George is preceded in death by his wife Mary Jo, his parents Joe and Helen Kubin, his brothers Ed and Joe Kubin, his sister Cecilia Hansen, his wife’s parents John and Mary Appelhanz, his brothers-in-law George, Tony and Albert Appelhanz, Robert Schlauger, his sisters-in-law Shirley Appelhanz and Nora Kubin.

George is survived by his daughters Rosemary and Mary, son John (Amanda), grandsons Brian, Nicholas, Stephen, Logan, Joseph and Isaiah.  His sisters Mary Traub in Washington and Helen Linson in Texas, his brothers-in-law John E. and Ed Appelhanz of Montrose, sisters-in-law Eleanor Schlauger of Grand Junction, Marion Appelhanz of Montrose, Kathy Appelhanz of Olathe and Evelyn Kubin in Washington, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.