Death registered in Humphreys County but buried in Memphis, TN. Owner of George's, a beloved local gay bar. Its ancestors and descendents stretch from 1960 to 2000 with it's best remembered years being from 1969 to 1984. An arrest of female impersonators in the early 1970s with the subsequent dismissal of the case opened the door to non-enforcement of the cross-dressing ordinances and same-sex dancing prohibitions of the time.
(The following was originally printed in Gaze newspaper, July 1990.)
George first came to Memphis in the 1960s. He purchased a business located at 1786 Madison in 1969 named the Famous Door. With his lover/partner Don Rossignol, the bar commonly known as George's became the Queen Mother of Memphis gay bars. George's own character of Marilyn Misfit turned into sort of an icon of the premiere drag bar in town (and for many non-gays the only gay bar in town).
The business expended to nearly include an entire set of storefronts at the Madison address. It moved later to 600 Marshall and was made up of a three bar complex at that location. He was involved in other business interests in the area such as the Townehouse, Sam's, the Psych-Out II, Club Peaches and the Club South Baths/Georgetown Inn. George said, in a recorded interview, that the Georgetown Inn was the business he was proudest of.
After the partnership was dissolved, he returned to his first type of venture, an antique store. He spent his last years quietly. At the time of his death he left a sister Sherri K Owens, two brothers Howard E Wilson and Carl L Atwell, his mother Connie S Atwell, his one time partner Don Rossignol, many friends of long standing and a legend.
(from the Commercial Appeal, June 8, 1990) "He was called "the Godfather" because he was [among the] first to make it possible in Memphis "for gays to drink and dance together," said Bill Murcheson, a longtime friend and former employee."
(The following was originally printed in Gaze newspaper, July 1990.)
George first came to Memphis in the 1960s. He purchased a business located at 1786 Madison in 1969 named the Famous Door. With his lover/partner Don Rossignol, the bar commonly known as George's became the Queen Mother of Memphis gay bars. George's own character of Marilyn Misfit turned into sort of an icon of the premiere drag bar in town (and for many non-gays the only gay bar in town).
The business expended to nearly include an entire set of storefronts at the Madison address. It moved later to 600 Marshall and was made up of a three bar complex at that location. He was involved in other business interests in the area such as the Townehouse, Sam's, the Psych-Out II, Club Peaches and the Club South Baths/Georgetown Inn. George said, in a recorded interview, that the Georgetown Inn was the business he was proudest of.
After the partnership was dissolved, he returned to his first type of venture, an antique store. He spent his last years quietly. At the time of his death he left a sister Sherri K Owens, two brothers Howard E Wilson and Carl L Atwell, his mother Connie S Atwell, his one time partner Don Rossignol, many friends of long standing and a legend.
(from the Commercial Appeal, June 8, 1990) "He was called "the Godfather" because he was [among the] first to make it possible in Memphis "for gays to drink and dance together," said Bill Murcheson, a longtime friend and former employee."
Death registered in Humphreys County but buried in Memphis, TN. Owner of George's, a beloved local gay bar. Its ancestors and descendents stretch from 1960 to 2000 with it's best remembered years being from 1969 to 1984. An arrest of female impersonators in the early 1970s with the subsequent dismissal of the case opened the door to non-enforcement of the cross-dressing ordinances and same-sex dancing prohibitions of the time.
(The following was originally printed in Gaze newspaper, July 1990.)
George first came to Memphis in the 1960s. He purchased a business located at 1786 Madison in 1969 named the Famous Door. With his lover/partner Don Rossignol, the bar commonly known as George's became the Queen Mother of Memphis gay bars. George's own character of Marilyn Misfit turned into sort of an icon of the premiere drag bar in town (and for many non-gays the only gay bar in town).
The business expended to nearly include an entire set of storefronts at the Madison address. It moved later to 600 Marshall and was made up of a three bar complex at that location. He was involved in other business interests in the area such as the Townehouse, Sam's, the Psych-Out II, Club Peaches and the Club South Baths/Georgetown Inn. George said, in a recorded interview, that the Georgetown Inn was the business he was proudest of.
After the partnership was dissolved, he returned to his first type of venture, an antique store. He spent his last years quietly. At the time of his death he left a sister Sherri K Owens, two brothers Howard E Wilson and Carl L Atwell, his mother Connie S Atwell, his one time partner Don Rossignol, many friends of long standing and a legend.
(from the Commercial Appeal, June 8, 1990) "He was called "the Godfather" because he was [among the] first to make it possible in Memphis "for gays to drink and dance together," said Bill Murcheson, a longtime friend and former employee."
(The following was originally printed in Gaze newspaper, July 1990.)
George first came to Memphis in the 1960s. He purchased a business located at 1786 Madison in 1969 named the Famous Door. With his lover/partner Don Rossignol, the bar commonly known as George's became the Queen Mother of Memphis gay bars. George's own character of Marilyn Misfit turned into sort of an icon of the premiere drag bar in town (and for many non-gays the only gay bar in town).
The business expended to nearly include an entire set of storefronts at the Madison address. It moved later to 600 Marshall and was made up of a three bar complex at that location. He was involved in other business interests in the area such as the Townehouse, Sam's, the Psych-Out II, Club Peaches and the Club South Baths/Georgetown Inn. George said, in a recorded interview, that the Georgetown Inn was the business he was proudest of.
After the partnership was dissolved, he returned to his first type of venture, an antique store. He spent his last years quietly. At the time of his death he left a sister Sherri K Owens, two brothers Howard E Wilson and Carl L Atwell, his mother Connie S Atwell, his one time partner Don Rossignol, many friends of long standing and a legend.
(from the Commercial Appeal, June 8, 1990) "He was called "the Godfather" because he was [among the] first to make it possible in Memphis "for gays to drink and dance together," said Bill Murcheson, a longtime friend and former employee."
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