George Deack

Have you ever had a random contact with someone who just made you smile and feel good? It doesn't have to be up close and personal, or involve touching, or even a word spoken between the two of you! But, no matter what mood your were in, just having that interaction, no matter how slight, lines everything up for you and sets the rest of your day on a positive trend. I have been wondering about a man I see frequently on the bike path along Old Telegraph Rd. He is never without a broad smile and is always enthusiastically waving at passing motorist along Old Telegraph Rd. I decided to quit wondering about him and made up my mind stop to speak to him and shake his hand! Although he was a total stranger to me, George Deack someone who has made my day a little better on most mornings that I travel on Old Telegraph Rd. on my bicycle and I wanted to meet him! He also reminded me of a lost opportunity and someone long ago who did something similar. I wished I had taken the time to talk to him then and I was not going to miss the opportunity to talk with this man.

In the middle and late 1960's, while station at MCAS El Toro, the now closed United States Marine Corps Air Station, in Orange County California, I made frequent trips to Laguna Beach, which was the closest beach to the base. Every time I was in Laguna Beach I would see a shabbily dressed and bearded man standing at the side of the busy Pacific Coast Highway waving and calling out to passing motorist and pedestrians, "Halloo-oo-oo!" he would say to all of us. I later learned, unfortunately, only after his passing in 1975, that his name was Eiler Larsen. I thought then, and even now, how I looked forward to seeing him and hearing him greet all of us visitors to that quaint beach community. Although I thought that it was just a random contact Eiler has with people I later learned that he purposely stood daily at that same location for approximately thirty years waving and calling out, “Halloo-oo-oo!” I never spoke to Eiler, but I wish I would have because I was interested why he did what he did each day.

Some of you, like me, may have been wondering who is that guy walking down the bike path waving at every car, I mean every car, and in my case bicycle, that travels east or west on Old Telegraph Rd. I have been wondering also and one morning I stopped my bicycle on the bridge that crosses over the Sespe Creek and had a nice chat with George as he made his way on Old Telegraph Rd. to nearly Grand Ave. On the morning I decided to meet George he was alternately waving at cars and tossing small rocks down below into the riverbed. I introduced myself and announced to him that I would like to write a story for the Fillmore Gazette about him and his “Goodwill Ambassador” activity. George listened thoughtfully, looked at me curiously and then he agreed to allow me to write an article.

If you have passed by George often enough you will notice he doesn't take any chances that he will miss someone because he isn't facing them as they pass! George has perfected a backhanded wave that will reach you if you are approaching from his back! George uses his right hand and left hand alternately as he walks the three mile round trip from his home using the bike path paralleling Old Telegraph Rd.

George told he has received a lot of feedback from motorist about his waving. That includes two women who stopped their car and gave him a hug! And school kids who wave back at him on their way to school! While I was talking with George a young man walking to school was the recipient of one of George's waves and wide smile. George greeted him with a, “Good morning! I hope you don't get wet this morning.” The young man looked cautiously sideways at George and me, but was able to give a slight smile back. I think that short encounter with George, if only for a moment, may have had an impact on that young man.

A deeply religious man, George told me that a while back he waved at someone for the first time and that person waved back. The person then stopped his car and contacted George and told him, “You just made my day!” George was encouraged by that person's response to his wave and he decided to continue to wave at as many people as he could as they drove busily about their business. From that day on he made it his mission to encourage other people to have a nice day with positive thoughts through his wave and broad smile. He said, "The Lord has been good to me." From which I gathered is why he spreads good cheer to others by a simple, but enthusiastic wave to passing motorist as well as a huge smile! And he added, “I do this for Jesus!” George is out there walking, smiling, waving and spreading his message of encouragement six days a week, Monday through Saturday from around 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM. “Sunday is reserved for attending church in Ventura,” he says. You may encounter George as he walks to the Sespe Creek Bridge and then will walk back east on Old Telegraph Rd to his home near Central Ave. and Main St.

George was born in Los Angeles making him a rare Native Californian. George tells me he is 88 years old and moved to Fillmore from Oxnard eight years ago with his wife of 36 years, Creola. George and Creola together have eight children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. George told me he simply moved here because, “In Oxnard I was tired of smelling onions grown in the fields near my home. In Fillmore I love the smell of orange blossoms over those onions!”

George told me he is a United States Marine Corps Veteran serving during the last days of WWII from 1946-1948. George told me when he received his draft notice he initially tried to enter the war through the Army Air Corps as a pilot, but was told that the war would soon be over and they didn't need anymore pilots. He then tried the Navy and received the same response. Soon a friend encouraged him to join the Marine Corps where he served two years before receiving his discharge at the rank of corporal.

I enjoyed visiting with George Deack that morning and I look for him every morning hoping to be the benefactor of his wave and smile. It is my hope that now that you know of George that you will also be “encouraged” to wave back at George and even initiate a wave to someone else who may, at that very moment need a friendly wave and smile from a total stranger. Thank you George for your military service and your service to the citizens of Fillmore by spreading your good cheer!