The MacPherson’s family was deeply saddened by the news that our friend and former colleague, George Bethurem, passed away in March. George was beloved by the MacPherson’s team, his customers and our vendor partners. He was known for being kind, thoughtful, funny, caring, dedicated and so much more.
We’d like to share a few memories from the Mac family.
“George was a wonderful soul. He was quiet but resilient and put creativity high on his priority list…and it showed. If you got him talking about music, especially cajun, zydeco, roots artists, he’d go on and on. I have a fond memory of seeing Little Feat at the Marin County Fair one year, standing in the back and what do I see but George upfront, dancing away. He always went above and beyond for his customers, personally getting them the info and taking care of defectives, etc. Halloween was his absolute favorite time and he would go all out each year. He’d come by the office, careful to park a block away so no one could see who he was, and then wander in not saying a word and toss candy at you…” – Davel Tavel
“George was a kind soul and one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, let alone had the opportunity to work with. He was a true gentleman and went out of his way to be friendly to everyone. His 42 year career (yes, you read that right!) at MacPherson’s and within the industry made him one of the most recognizable faces and ambassadors for good in our world of arts and crafts. In George’s farewell to our team on his retirement day in 2021, he said the following about MacPherson’s and the industry: “We are in fact a family. We are recognized as individuals, not numbers. And we are lucky to be associated with the vast creative world of art materials.” That’s who George was and what he believed in his heart. We remember him fondly and are grateful that we had him as a friend and teammate for so long.” – Neil McIntyre, COO
“George was one of the first Account Managers that I met in May of 2018 when I stepped in as CEO at MacPherson’s. What always impressed me was his long history with MacPherson’s, his extensive knowledge of the business, the extremely positive relationships he had with his customers, and his passion for our Industry. George lived and breathed Art Supplies and MacPherson’s. But most importantly, he was such a good person, always a gentleman, who maintained the highest levels of integrity, and who had a huge heart. He would do anything that was needed to help out whenever asked. He was a rare breed and had a big impact on building MacPherson’s, and the Industry. His contributions will never be forgotten. He will be dearly missed.…………………Dave” – Dave Schofield, CEO
We send our deepest condolences and gratitude to his family. Thank you for sharing him with us for so many years.
– The MacPherson’s Team
