Jack's official
death notice, beautifully written and, to the end, as generous and courageous as he was (emphasis mine):
Harvey J. "Jack" McGeorge II, 59, Expert in Chemical and Biological Munitions.
Jack McGeorge was a specialist in chemical and biological weapons whose life work was dedicated to the security of both the United States and, through the United Nations, the world, died August 18 from complications following cardiac surgery. Mr. McGeorge began his career an explosive ordnance disposal specialist with the United States Marine Corps, followed by Federal service as a munitions countermeasures specialist with the U.S. Secret Service. As a published author of more than 100 technical reports, monographs and articles on ballistics, chemical and biological munitions, terrorism, executive protection, and related topics, Mr. McGeorge was a frequent and popular lecturer. Additionally, he was one of a handful of specialists admitted to present expert opinion in Federal court on the weaponization of chemical and biological agents. In October 2000, Mr. McGeorge was awarded a Doctorate from the State Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT) in Moscow, Russia for his work related to chemical and biological terrorism.
From 2001 - 2004, Mr. McGeorge served as the principal chemical and biological munitions specialist with the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). As UNMOVIC''s munitions specialist, Mr. McGeorge was responsible for overseeing the establishment, equipping and training of a dedicated team for munitions inspections in Iraq. Before and after his work with UNMOVIC, Mr. McGeorge headed the Public Safety Group (PSG) in Woodbridge, VA. For more than 20 years PSG provided the intelligence community with expert consulting on chemical and biological munitions and terrorist activities. Mr. McGeorge''s consultancy led him to travel extensively around the world.
A passionate educator, Mr. McGeorge imparted a wealth of knowledge. Those who attended his presentations received the benefit of his unbridled enthusiasm and that special twinkle in his eyes when he addressed his favorite topics - usually dealing with some form of death or destruction. Mr. McGeorge freely shared his encyclopedic knowledge with colleagues and those he mentored; friends enjoyed his unusual sense of humor.
Mr. McGeorge was a founder of Black Rose, a Washington, DC based alternative sexuality organization. Over the years, he served on the Board of Directors for several groups, including Black Rose, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, the Leather Leadership Conference, and the Community Academic Consortium for Research on Alternative Sexualities. He received many awards for his leadership and commitment to quality education, including a Centurion Award from the Leather Archives & Museum and Man of the Year from Pantheon of Leather.
He enjoyed a variety of challenging sports such as rappelling, scuba diving, competitive shooting, and skydiving; he was a highly accomplished photographer. Earlier, Mr. McGeorge worked as an emergency medical technician and assisted in the management of the family business, Hudson Valley Ambulance Company.
He was born on September 29, 1949 in Nyack, New York. He was passionate about his life's work, his son and family, as well as his household. Survivors include his son Alex McGeorge, mother Corinne McGeorge, his brother Alan, his wife Susan McGeorge and their children Charlie and Katie, all of New York. He is predeceased by his father H. J. McGeorge, Sr. and his sister Mindy, also of New York. He is also survived by his former wife of nine years and business partner, Christine Ketcham; and the devoted members of his household Elizabeth Cousins and Justin Tanis. A funeral will be held on Sunday, August 23, at 7 p.m. at Mountcastle Funeral Home, 4143 Dale Blvd., Dale City, Virginia.
Published in The Washington Post on 8/22/2009