George Maupin

July 31, 1943 - February 14, 2023

George Maupin Obituary George Maupin July 31, 1943-February 14, 2023 Spokane, WA Local TV weatherman George Maupin, 79, went gently into that good night. His long and heartbreaking struggle with Alzheimer's and other health issues is over, and he rests in peace beside still waters. George was a legend. He brought the "Spokomojo," his unique blend of warmth and humor, to The Morning Show on KHQ-TV in Spokane for over a decade. His larger-than-life personality transcended the camera. His witty banter and wisecracks with Dave Cotton, Shelly Monahan, Sean Owsley, and Matt Rogers kept the show lively and hip. George attracted a loyal following of fans, or 'peeps' as he called them, who watched more for entertainment than his forecasts. George was plucked from the obscurity of the producer's desk to fill in at the green screen when weatherman Tim Adams deployed overseas. He was such a hit he stayed there until retiring in 2012. Aside from the 3 p.m. wake-up call, George loved his job and the people who invited him into their homes every morning. It all began at the Don Martin School of Radio and Television Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, or as he put it, "that cheesy little school at the corner of Hollywood and Vine." Restless after Vietnam, he kicked around Europe for a while, and after coming home, he knew he did not want to return to his job as an overnight manager at a supermarket. The world was changing, and George wanted to be a part of it. With a freshly printed FCC Operator's license, he headed to KPLM-TV in Palm Springs. It was a shoestring operation, where George quickly went from being what he described as "the lonely weekend guy in master control" to reporting and the anchor desk. His coverage of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers labor unrest in the Coachella Valley and the vocal Gay Rights community in Cathedral City earned him several awards. It was there he found his voice. Lured away by a bigger market, George spent much of the late '70s and '80s in Las Vegas. He was a News Producer at KVBC-TV, News Director at KNUU All-News Radio, and hosted Nevada Week in Review on PBS. His favorite job was Sports Anchor at KTNV-TV. During the glory days of World Championship Boxing at Caesars Palace, George was there, covering the greats like Sugar Ray Leonard, Leon Spinks, and Joe Frazier. He covered UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball, hosted The Jerry Tarkanian Show, and earned Nevada Sportscaster of the Year honors more than once. His biggest thrill was interviewing Vin Scully, the voice of his beloved Dodgers. He also met the love of his life there, newsroom colleague producer Nancy Kiel, or his 'show girl' as he called her. After a 10-year cross-country romance, they managed to get a long weekend off and eloped to Lake Tahoe; George once reminisced on-air, ..." they gave us a number, we were #52..." Together they raised a son, William, his pride and joy. George was born in Los Angeles on July 31, 1943, the son of depression-era Okies. His late parents, William, and Dixie (nee Dixon), instilled in him an appreciation of country-western music and a fierce work ethic. George dreamed of playing shortstop for the Dodgers when he was not delivering the Linwood Republic or bagging groceries at Ralph's. By his 16th birthday, he had earned enough money to buy a Chevy 409 and joined the Etruscans, one of those iconic California car clubs. He and his friends cruised Hollywood Blvd. and dragged at Huntington Beach in style. George was a DeMolay grandmaster and a 1961 graduate of Southgate High School. He is preceded in death by his half-siblings, William (Billy) and Sally (Peek), and survived by Nancy and Will, niece Kelly (Joe) Duran of Santa Maria, CA, and their children, Jaime and Mike, and a rowdy clan of Kiel in-laws with roots in Doylestown, Ohio. In 1993 George moved his family to Spokane, saying he would "give it a year, tops." He believed in giving back to the community that embraced him, tirelessly raising money and awareness for countless causes and charities; one closest to his heart was TESH, an organization for disabled young adults in Coeur d 'Alene. George volunteered countless hours in classrooms, teaching about the weather or reading to school kids. He read so much Dr. Suess that he was named the honorary Mayor of Whoville. A man of conviction, he decided to retire after being reprimanded for saying global warming on air. He was a ferocious reader who carried around in his wallet a well-worn list of books to buy, just in case there was a bookstore nearby. He pitched a mean game on his co-ed softball team, sacrificing a big toe to the cause, and could not think of a better place to spend a Sunday afternoon than at the Spokane Symphony. Until Alzheimer's took its toll, George and Nancy traveled to many of the places on his bucket list; the last trip was to France because...as he liked to say, "I'm French, you know." George was a good man whose positive outlook on life was evident in everything he did. He was also a fighter who struggled through a horrible disease that robbed him of everything and everyone he knew. He is at peace and forever in our hearts. � To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of George, please visit our Tree Store