George Patrick Hade Jr.

George Patrick Hade Jr. of Trumansburg passed away at Cayuga Medical Center on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at the age of 96.

George was born on February 27, 1930, in Englewood, New Jersey, the son of the late George P. Hade Sr. and Anne (Fox) Hade. He graduated from Don Bosco Institute, Ramsey, NJ in 1947, Mechanics Institute, New York, NY in 1948, followed by Naval Air Technical Training for Flight Engineers, Jacksonville, FL, in 1950. He honorably served a four-year tour in the United States Navy as an Aviation Machinist during the Korean Conflict, where he formed lifelong friendships with John Bernardi and Salvatore "Scratch" Scarito.

Following his military service, George pursued studies in Mechanical Engineering at New York University College of Engineering and Fairleigh Dickinson University. He went on to build a distinguished career in seismology and geophysics, beginning at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory. There, he worked as an Instrumentation Engineer on Geophysical Instruments during a transformative period in earth science and contributed to pioneering research, including the implementation of the first lunar seismograph readings following the Apollo missions.

At Lamont, George was hired by renowned geophysicist Jack Oliver and worked alongside leading scientists Bryan Isacks and Lynn Sykes, whose groundbreaking research helped establish the theory of plate tectonics. A gifted problem solver and consummate "jack of all trades," George applied his engineering expertise wherever needed, helping advance scientific discoveries that reshaped our understanding of electromagnetic seismograph systems.

In 1972, George joined Cornell University, following Jack Oliver's move there the previous year. The professional relationships he developed at Columbia blossomed into enduring friendships with Jack Oliver, Bryan Isacks, Muawia Barazangi, Art Bloom, and Dan Karig. As a Research Engineer at Cornell, George traveled extensively throughout the world installing and maintaining seismic monitoring stations. His work took him to Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, and numerous locations across Africa, often requiring him to be away from home for months at a time. On occasion, his wife and son were able to accompany him on these remarkable journeys.

George retired from Cornell in 1995, but retirement did little to slow him down. Retaining his laboratory space, he continued working three days a week well into his eighties. He loved the intellectual challenges of his work, but even more, he cherished the camaraderie of his colleagues. His lab became a favorite gathering place at lunchtime, where stories, laughter, and good-natured jokes were always in abundant supply. Among his many retirement projects was the installation of a seismograph at the Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, New York.

Outside of his professional accomplishments, George was a natural storyteller who delighted in sharing tales from every chapter of his life, from his days at Don Bosco Preparatory School in New Jersey to his many adventures traveling and working around the globe. Conversations with George rarely ended quickly; as he often liked to say, "It comes with a story." His stories, filled with humor, wisdom, and colorful detail, could captivate family, friends, and complete strangers alike.

George's curiosity and talent for fixing things began in his youth and remained with him throughout his life. Whether in his workshop, under the hood of a car, or tackling a household project, he found satisfaction in understanding how things worked and bringing them back to life. Often by his side was one of the many beloved dogs who shared his home over the years. He especially enjoyed restoring old vehicles, spending time in his shop, taking long walks with his dogs, backyard barbeques, and settling down with a good book.

George dedicated much of his life as a member of the Catholic Church, attending St James the Apostle parish of Trumansburg. His service encompassed many different roles including religious education, parish council President, and lector.

George is survived by his wife, Annette Hade; children, George (Bethanne Beckhorn) Hade III, Sharon DalCero, and William (Rebecca Perry) Nagle; grandchildren, Neva Hade, Timothy (Jamie Wright) DalCero, Amanda Nagle, and Will Nagle; great grandson, Isaac; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Edward Hade and his son-in- law Michael DalCero.

The family will be present to receive friends from 4:00 to 7:00pm on Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at Ness-Sibley Funeral Home, 23 South Street, Trumansburg. A Mass will be celebrated at 11:00am on Thursday, October 22, 2026 at St. James the Apostle Church, 17 Whig Street, Trumansburg. Burial will follow at St. James Cemetery in Trumansburg.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks those that would like to make a contribution in George’s memory to kindly consider Paleontological Research Institute, 1259 Trumansburg Road, Ithaca, New York 14850.