George Spitale

He was born March 30, 1947, in Jamestown, NY, the son of the late Basil and Ann Campesi Spitale.

George was a 1966 graduate of Jamestown High School.

Following high school he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served with the First Air Cavalry Division from 1966 to 1968 where he earned two bronze stars. George received the silver cross of the State of New York from the governor in 1970 for service to his country. He was also a lifetime member of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 865. After returning home, he continued his education, receiving degrees from both Jamestown Community College and Jamestown Business College.

Prior to his retirement in 2002, George was employed by Jamestown Department of Public Works, starting in 1969.

He was a well-known union leader in the city of Jamestown serving as president of local 418 AFSCME for over 20 years. He was elected co-chairman of the Jamestown Labor Management Committee. Always concerned with safety and workers’ rights, he was a founding member and served on the Allegheny Safety and Health Council. Spitale was instrumental in bringing labor studies programs to Jamestown Community College for both public and private sector unions through Professor James Miller. He even completed 60 credit hours and was accredited in the program at Cornell University.

For his dedication to labor, George received the Joseph Mason Award in 1986 and was a two-time recipient of the George Ritzer Labor Award. In 1991, he received the Man and Youth Award from the Jamestown Boys and Girls Club and the George Meany Award for Scouting.

Spitale has been active in the Jamestown Boys and Girls Club since 1984. He served on the personnel committee, alumni committee and chairman of the building and grounds committee. Since being on the board, he has raised over $100,000 for the club through fundraisers.

George was also very active in scouting from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. He was an assistant Webelo leader and committee chairman from 1980 for Cub Scouts and assistant Scoutmaster from 1984 to 1995 for Boy Scouts.

He was a Jamestown City Council member from 2005 until 2015.

He leaves behind his wife Mary Nelson Spitale whom he married on July 18, 1970; his daughter Kristen Wilson, and his son Scott Spitale both of Jamestown; his grandson Matthew Wilson of Jamestown; brothers Peter Spitale of Palm Beach, FL, and Carl Spitale of Palm Coast, FL; and several cousins and nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be held at 1:30 pm on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, at the Lind Funeral Home. Friends will be received from 3 to 7 pm Sunday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Chautauqua Hospice & Palliative Care, 20 W. Fairmount Ave., Lakewood, NY 14750, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

You may leave words of condolence to George’s family at www.lindfuneralhome.com.