Obituaries

Rev. George Six 1934 - 2022

The Rev. George Six, an Episcopal priest of 55 years, social activist, and vocal advocate for social justice and women's health, died December 27, 2022 at Elizabeth House in Hendersonville. He was 88.
His death was due to heart failure, he had previously survived stage-four
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Born and raised in Lyons, Kansas, Fr. Six and his wife, the late Irene Coonfer Six were high school sweethearts with leading roles in musical productions. He played some football, basketball, swam and dove, and was the high school drum major: into jazz and influenced by his three worldly, older WWII-era brothers. George and Irene enrolled at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. With a child on the way, George found early employment in men's clothing retail and later, success in the insurance business, rising to a management position in Davenport, Iowa. Personal near tragedy in the family led George to pursue the priesthood in the Episcopal Church. He entered Bexley Hall Seminary at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio and was ordained to the priesthood on December 21, 1967. Fr. Six served as rector at nine churches in Iowa, Arizona, Florida, and Southern California. The Venerable George Six served as Archdeacon in the Diocese of Arizona. He later wrote and published a book of his experiences: " ... on your way home ... Do this ... ".
Fr. Six was engaged with social justice matters and was a progressive advocate for women's and low-income health choices. Within the Episcopal church, Fr. Six was a delegate to the national conventions where he served on several committees, including revision of the Book of Common Prayer. He was key in drafting, lobbying, and advancing national church policy positions regarding the ordination of women, abortion, and early LGBTQ advocacy in the 1970-80s. He was a benefactor to the homeless: providing meals, housing, employment, and addiction services including to those showing up at the family home. He helped establish and build a low-income health clinic in Muscatine, Iowa. George and Irene were instrumental in the construction of a low-income senior housing complex in Muscatine. As a seminarian, he participated with classmates in the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. King's I Have a Dream speech was a deep influence. He was elected Executive Director of the Henderson County Chapter of the NAACP.
Fr. Six is survived by his son William Allan Six and his wife Susan Clark of Honolulu, HI, daughter Anne Six Knight and her husband Rodger of Flat Rock, NC, daughter Susan Helen Six of Davis, CA, in addition to five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A funeral service was held at St. James Episcopal Church in Hendersonville, NC, Friday, January 6, 2023. Interment will be at later date in Lyons, Kansas.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Henderson County Chapter of the NAACP, to Hendersonville Planned Parenthood, or to St. James Church, Hendersonville.