George W. LaBar, Sr., former Professor of Fisheries at the University of Vermont (UVM), died April 17, 2021. He served on the UVM School of Natural Resources faculty from 1976 to 1995.

George William LaBar was born in a small log cabin his father built in the woods of northern Wisconsin. George attended a one-room school for two years and then attended Birchwood Schools where he graduated as valedictorian of his class of 18. He met and married Joan McEathron when they were 18. They had three children and were married for 55 years.

George received his PhD on the homing behavior of cutthroat trout in Yellowstone National Park. He served as a naturalist in Yellowstone and taught at several universities, including California Polytechnic State University, Universidad Simon Bolivar in Venezuela, University of Maine, and University of Vermont.

For 19 years, in the UVM School of Natural Resources, George taught courses in fisheries biology, ichthyology, and water resources and served as chair of the Wildlife and Fisheries Biology Program for several years. He conducted research on fisheries ecology in Lake Champlain, including studies of the commercial potential of fish and bioenergetic modeling of lake trout and rainbow smelt populations related to sea lamprey control.

In 1995, George took the position of Head of the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at the University of Idaho. During George’s 34-year academic career he published nearly 50 scientific papers and directed 40 MS and PhD students.

Upon retirement, George and Joan spent two years visiting 311 National Wildlife Refuges in 49 states, resulting in his book “The RVers Guide to the National Wildlife Refuges.” George and Joan then moved to Montana and in 2015 moved to Maine. Unfortunately, Joan passed away only ten months later.

George was an active outdoorsman who loved fishing and fly tying, hunting deer and upland game, hiking, birding, and skiing. He had a beautiful tenor voice and belonged to classical choruses in California, Venezuela, Vermont, Idaho, Montana, and Maine.

Adapted from Funeral Alternatives, where condolences may be left.