In Memoriam: George E. McKenna, Jr., 1938-2023
Former Owner of the George E. McKenna Insurance Agency
George E. McKenna, Jr., 85, passed away peacefully at home on November 29 after a period of declining health. Born in 1938 to George McKenna, Sr. and his wife Evelyn, he lived almost his entire life in the town of Leicester, with a brief sojourn to South Carolina in his retirement.
George is survived by his sister, Sr. Evelyn McKenna of Worcester; his two daughters, Christine McKenna-Lok and her husband David of Wayland, and Michelle Zimmerman and her husband Peter of Leicester; six grandsons: Sean Lok of Wayland, Joe Zimmerman of Leicester, Eric Zimmerman and his wife Kate of Maplewood NJ, Lian Sang and his wife Sen of Glenpool OK, Lian Kim and his wife Ciin of Worcester, and Sam Barclays and his sons Jamiel and Jahrell of Leicester; and his close companion of many years, Grace Metros, formerly of Conway SC.
George was a proud graduate of St. John’s High School and the College of the Holy Cross, and he took part in many alumni events for both schools over the years. After his college graduation, George joined the National Guard and served for eight years. He often told amusing stories of his time stationed at Fort Dix. Around the same time, George joined his mother in running the family business that his father had founded, the George E. McKenna Insurance Agency.
There was a time when it seemed everyone in town knew George, whether from his business, his presence on town committees, or his daily lunch break at the counter of Bisco’s. Community service was a hallmark of George’s life from an early age. He served on the School Committee for sixteen years and then went on to several terms as a Selectman. He later volunteered for the Hillcrest Water District and the Moose Hill Water Commission. He was also a member of the Leicester Business Association and on the Board of Trustees at Country Bank. He was a reliable supporter of town events through sponsoring activities such as the summer Concerts on the Common and youth sports teams. Several generations of Leicester youth remember wearing their McKenna Insurance jersey on game day. George was also a lifelong member of St. Joseph- St. Pius X Parish.
George was very patriotic, enthusiastically following national politics and learning all he could about US history. He visited all 50 states and most of the nation’s Presidential Libraries. In his retirement in the Myrtle Beach area, he played in several golf leagues, sang in the Low Country Barbershop Chorus, and was a volunteer mentor to budding entrepreneurs through SCORE, the Service Corps of Retired Executives. He returned to Massachusetts in 2019, and although he enjoyed his years in South Carolina, he was happy to be home.
