George Wilber McBride, age 101, of Sweet Home passed away Saturday. He was born in Sterling, Colorado to William Morris and Hilda (Elsass) McBride.

In 1928, he and his younger brother, Gene, rode box cars to California where George got into construction work. He made a career of operating heavy equipment in the construction of dams and roads in California and Oregon. He worked on the Folsom, Boulder, Shasta, and Culver Dams. He also worked on Interstate 5 in Oregon. He settled in Marysville, California, retiring at age 65. George moved to Sweet Home in 2001 to live with his daughter.

George was very proud of his association with the Operating Engineers Local 3 up until his death. George joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around 1962 and remained a member after his move to Sweet Home.

George owned many original model cars, buying his first car at age 16, and loved to tinker with them. He loved to travel throughout the country having been coast to coast and border to border leaving lasting friends wherever he traveled. He loved to make wooden whirly-gigs and other objects which he gave to all of his friends. Most of all, George was a great story teller filling each tale with great laughter and love.

George is survived by: his daughter, Midge (Dick) Knowles of Sweet Home; brother, Eugene McBride of Missoula, Montana; granddaughter, Debbie (Ernie) Sowards of Salem; grandsons, Dennis (Beth) Hinton of Los Banos, California, and Dave Hinton of Snelling, California; great grandsons, Lennie and Joe Sudyka of Corvallis; great granddaughters, Brittney and Brenda Hinton of Los Banos, California; step great grandson, Michael Templin of Manteca, California; step daughter, Joanne (Terry) Rasmussen of Manteca, California; four step grandchildren; six step great grandchildren; numerous step great great grandchildren throughout the country; and his cat, ‘CAT’.

He was preceded in death by: his wife, Marian Ransom McBride (1999); son, Jess (1941); parents, William (1969) and Hilda (1960); sister, Agnes McBride Stewart (1986); and brothers, Robert (1984), Samuel (1974), and Jesse (1990).

Viewing will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, April 5, 2010, followed by 11:00 a.m., funeral service at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweet Home, 1155 22nd Avenue. George will be laid to rest in Marysville, California next to his beloved wife, Marian.

Arrangements are under the direction of Sweet Home Funeral Chapel.