There has been another piece of heart taken away. The passing of my dear friend George is a loss hard to believe. He was my mentor and above all my friend. George will be missed by his family and the many Veterans across Maryland that he fought for and supported.
Rest easy Marine, you earned it. You will never be forgotten.

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George and his brother, we grew up together in the Beach and as young boys we got into a lot of things that young kids do. His parents always welcomed us kids in their home. As I grew older and went into the military as many of us did during those times we all lost contact but when he learned that my brother in law passed in 2021, he contacted me to see if he could help in any way because he was a veteran. He attended the services with us at Southern Memorial Gardens and offered his support. We stayed in touch after that. He will surely be missed by all and be remembered as a Beach Kid. May he rest in peace.

I am so very sorry for your loss of a great American hero …

RIP Mr. Owings, a true Patriot and quite a man. Touch many lives.

I am so sorry to hear of George’s passing. He was a true patriot and a champion of Veterans. I wish there were more like him. He was a fellow school mate and live long friend. George will truly be missed. My prayers go out to the family and friends.

I mourn the passing of my old friend, distant cousin, and colleague Secretary George W. Owings III. George and I worked together in the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. Our ancestors had served together in the Revolutionary War and in the same unit in the Civil War at Gettysburg. George was proud of his family history and I was honored to induct George, his son, and his grandsons into the Sons of the American Revolution in the Old Senate Chamber in Annapolis. His grandmother, Ida Adell Insley, was from lower Dorchester County and George always enjoyed trips back to his roots. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Someone said George is in heaven now. I said, he may take a brief trip to heaven, but George will be forever doing what he loved, walking the halls of Annapolis. I can hear his laugh and see his smile now as he prods those who follow in his footsteps.

The Veterans of Maryland and Veterans everywhere had no better friend than Secretary Owings. He will be missed beyond measure.

My heart breaks as we have lost the one and only G3!!! He made such an impact on so many lives including mine. My heartfelt condolences to all that loved him.

Prayers go out to family and friends, he helped so many veterans across Maryland. This Veterans Day he will be remembered.

I met George when he was in high school – He was best friends with my next door neighbor at Dares Beach, Jimmy Holland. At the time, my best friend was Jimmy’s sister, Dianne so I spent a lot of time at their house. I was only 13 and he was my first crush – he was so good looking but those 16 year old boys surely didn’t want to hang out with us. However, he was always kind and we carried our friendship on through all of his life. He often told me he thought of Jimmy every day since we lost him in an auto accident in 1972. Every time George saw me, I got a huge smile and a hug and he always had time to chat . He was so caring about the people of Calvert County but especially his Veterans. He will be greatly missed. Thoughts and prayers to the entire Owings family. My husband served in the USMC at the same time as George and ran into him in Texas in the 1960’s and always remembered that time when two Calvert County boys were in Texas together.

George Owings will forever be the best Secretary of Veterans Affairs the State of Maryland will ever have, it wasn’t a job to George it was a vocation he loved his fellow Veterans and we all loved him. I was shocked to learn of his passing it wasn’t long ago we ran into each other. I am honored and Blessed to call George my fellow Vietnam Veteran and my Friend. Out thoughts and prayers are with Marie and all of George’s family, Rest well my Brother. Although we can no longer hold you in our arms we will Forever hold you in our hearts. Moe & Marie

Old friend. Myself and Christine played music one or two times a month at the veteran center in Charlotte Hall. The next one will be in your honor and name.

I will miss working with George on Veteran issues. Was great to get to know him. A true loss to the veterans of Maryland.

George was passionate in representing his constituents. When he believed in an issue, he fought for it with an unbridled passion. If ABATE of Maryland needed help, he was there. The motorcycle community owes him a lot for protecting our rights to ride.

I’ve known George for almost 70 years, not as a constituent or co-worker but as a friend.
We started elementary school together and graduated from high school in the class of 1963 (same as Jimmy Holland).
We’ve exchanged email; often crossed paths on my visits back to Calvert County; re-unions, etc. since ’63.
George did the eulogy at my Mother’s funeral.
There are many stories to tell about George but the most important is that:
George was a good man; he will be missed.

“Once we were Brothers,” three Vet’s with three Vett’s and for four or five years we had a blast doing what we did best. Then we moved on in life making careers and starting families of our own. I will always cherish those memories George, and of course, each time that we met in our professional lives. I will miss you Brother, see you on the other side.

As former editor of the Calvert Independent for 10 years, I was always impressed with George Owings. He was a fierce advocate for Calvert County and Southern Maryland. A brother to two Vietnam veterans, I appreciated his service. May he rest in peace.

My heart-felt condolences to George’s family.
I learned today of George’s passing.
We were supposed to go to lunch a few months back…I kept his voice mail message on the phone to remind me to call him. Yesterday, I erased the message in error and wrote a note to call later this week.
We shared a good deal of the same sensibilities (not a good thing at times but still funny to the both of us!). I adored his heart and commitment to the human spirit and the love of his duty to serve when asked. Whenever I needed him to assist on something from helping a young kid back from deployment with PTSD, to attending a function, or as a guest speaker, he was there. He helped me walk through some decision-making processes and made sure my Irish did not get the better of me. I have the honor of saying George was a part of my life. Now I have the honor of saying thank you for being a part of my life as you wave good-bye, looking over to smile while driving off in your Cadillac and honking your horn.

He was a great man. He will be missed for sure. Rip George 🙏

Rest in eternal peace, Marine

Rest well my brother. You served your time and will be surely missed.

A who served the safety of our nation with honor as well man truly committed to the help of his fellow veteans and the people of Calvert County. A gentle sense of humor helped others work through life. May God bring him into the joy of heaven quickly

You were a dedicated friend, advocate for US veterans, Calvert Countians, motorcyclists and anyone who needed help, George. I am honored to be called your friend. Your good deeds (many of which remain unknown to many), performed with humility, integrity and compassion made a profound impact on all who knew you. You are greatly missed and you leave behind a shining example of what a public servant should be.

Thank you George for getting me started in the mortgage business! I know you helped countless other in many different ways over the years and made a positive difference in many, many lives. The good things that resulted from your many acts of kindness, I am sure, were unending ripples in the living streams of many men and women. God bless you!

My dearest and best friend as we grew up together. Too many incredible stories no one would believe, so why tell them. We did join the USMC together!!! In my 80 years on this planet many people have touched my life, very few have been as close as GO and I. RIP dear friend, with tears now rolling down my cheeks!!!

I met Secretary Owings while working at the Office of the Secretary of State and was instantly fond of him. On my first day of work, serving a different department, the Assistant Secretary of State gave an overview of the various departments in the building. He mentioned Secretary Owings and the great work he did, and with a smile, how I’d hear him before seeing him.

As the building was under renovation, Veterans Affairs temporarily moved to the floor where I worked. Quickly, he became a friend. He was passionate about his work, compassionate, and made time to engage and connect with people. Anytime I got to connect with him, whether in passing, in conversation, or by email, he took the time and was dedicated to serving and supporting.

He was an admirable human being of character and integrity. I am grateful to have known him. Thank you, George. Rest in peace, friend.