George Allen Embrey

George Allen Embrey, 81, of Nags Head, NC, died June 05, 2014

Embrey was born March 9, 1933 at White Cross Hospital, Columbus, OH, to Lee Jefferson and Louise Embrey who preceded him in death.  His stepfather, John Elmer Hensel, also died earlier.

Anne Adair Embrey, his wife of 43 years died in 2004 and his fifth child, Eleanor Louise Stoehr, passed away in 1999.  Surviving are his Sons Ralph Andrew Embrey of Raleigh, wife Alicia and children Ethan George and Cate Embrey; Scott Allen Embrey of Richmond, wife, Pamela, and daughters Peyton and Devin; Daughter Anne Elizabeth and her husband, Jon Boone of Greensboro, NC, and children Robbie and Caroline; and Son Robert William Embrey of Los Angeles, and grandson Andrew Stoehr of Savannah, GA.

Embrey was graduated at Columbus South High School in 1951 and The Ohio State University in 1955 (BA in Journalism-Editorial).  Commissioned a lieutenant in the Army Armor Corps, he served eight years, two active, mainly in the 1^st Infantry Division (Mechanized), as a platoon leader in B Troop, 1^st Reconnaissance Squadron, 4^th Cavalry, Ft. Riley, KN.  He was a range officer at the National Rifle and Pistol Matches at Camp Perry, OH, in 1957.

After serving as a carrier for The Columbus Dispatch, starting in 1944, Embrey was hired as an office boy in The Dispatch News Department in 1949.  By his admission at Ohio State, he was full time communications reporter and later general assignment reporter during his four years in college, a post he returned to in 1957.

Embrey worked a number of beats as military writer, education writer and even gas and oil writer.  He was assigned as City Hall reporter for nearly five years and state government reporter.  His reporting stirred up the late Mayor M. E. (Jack) Sensenbrenner so much, the mayor closed the City Hall press room.  Embrey borrowed a typewriter and was pictured in The Dispatch writing a story on the City Hall front steps.

 In 1966, his mentor and later Editor in Chief Carl G. DeBloom assigned him as his replacement in The Dispatch Washington Bureau where he served for 29 years until his retirement in1995.  Embrey established personal news contacts in all contested states in presidential, congressional and governors  elections during that period.  Since many of those candidates rose to top news maker posts in Washington, editors in Columbus would say if you need to talk to someone in DC, call George Embrey.

As The Dispatch remains an independent newspaper, for more than a generation, Embrey retained his independence from “pack journalism” that still reigns in national news coverage.  He covered every presidential campaign from Eisenhower in 1952 though Clinton, and Democrat and Republican national conventions starting in 1960.  Fed up with the “pack,” Embrey palled around after stories were filed with British and Australian correspondents, some of them the best in the business, worldwide.

 In retirement, Embrey volunteered his service in Christianity at McLean, VA, Presbyterian Church, and at St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Nags Head.  Included were chief of ushers, vestryman and director, treasurer and diocesan coordinator for the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Embrey was a member of the Brotherhood National Council.  He served in many diocesan conventions as a delegate and as a volunteer at the Triennial Convention of the Episcopal Church, Columbus, OH.

Elected Dare County, NC, Republican chairman and Nags Head Precinct chairman in1996, he also served as a delegate to numerous county, congressional district and state conventions.  For nine years, he was a member of the NC 3^rd District and state GOP Executive Committees.  He ran for NC House of Representatives in 1998 to fill out the GOP ticket.  The victor in that contest soon resigned the office to take a state job.

 Embrey was class speaker at junior and senior high commencements, vice president of his South High class and of Sigma Delta Chi at Ohio State, twice elected treasurer of the National Press Club and Building Corp. and a member of the Military Order of the Carabao, the Press Club of Ohio, the Outer Banks Gun Club, the National Rifle Association, the Reserve Officers Association and SeaScape Golf Course.

 A memorial service will be held at St. Andrew’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church Wednesday, June 11, 2014 at 12pm.  Interment will be private.

Condolences to the family may be expressed via the online register at www.gallopfuneralservices.com. Gallop Funeral Services, Inc. was entrusted with arrangements.