George N. Constantine  

George N. Constantine 74, of Carmel and Culver, Indiana passed away on November 2nd at St. Vincent Hospice surrounded by his loving family.

Born across the river from Detroit in Riverside, Ontario Canada on May 5, 1939, George was the youngest of Constantine Constantine and Maria (Dop) Constantine's six children.

He graduated from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. After college, he taught business and mathematics in the Benton Harbor Michigan School System and then moved to northern Indiana where he worked for the South Bend Community School Corporation. In 1966, George moved to Indianapolis to serve as Business Manager for Indiana Vocational Technical College (Ivy Tech). In 1971, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish Indianapolis Video, an award-winning and nationally recognized video and security system sales organization. In 1983, he founded his own manufacturer representative's company for the video industry – George N. Constantine & Associates. He also served on the boards of several organizations in and around Indianapolis, including Metzger Lumber Company.

In 1966, he met Brenda McCutchan on a blind date to his favorite sporting event on earth – the Indy 500. They married in August of 1968 and had two sons – Greg and Rob – before moving to Carmel in 1972.

George stayed true to his love of the Indy 500 and his other passions, golf and hockey, throughout his life. He was a die-hard race fanatic and an enthusiastic participant in the legendary Schwimmer Open. After moving to Carmel, he became a member of Crooked Stick Golf Club where he avidly supported the Evans Scholars program and served as club president in 1979. He passed down his love of hockey to his family by taking them to Indianapolis Racers games in the 70's and coaching his son's Indiana Youth Hockey League team. Year after year, the players eagerly anticipated the end-of-season banquets where George presented his homemade gag gifts to each of them. George also loved spending time at the family cottage on Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver, Indiana. He was infamous along the west shore for his love of sailing, jet skiing in his bright red kneepads and piloting the family boat for water skiers, tubers and moonlight boat rides.

In 1986, George suffered a stroke, paralyzing his right side and leaving him with a severe case of receptive and expressive aphasia that compromised his ability to communicate through spoken and written words. While the stroke may have hindered some of his functional capabilities, it amplified the one-in-a-million spirit within him that possessed an unquenchable and infectious lust for life. Armed with his firm handshake, loving smile, impish twinkle in his eye and the pure, unadulterated joy of being in the company of others, George never met a man, woman or child he didn't like. And it was impossible for anyone who was fortunate enough to know or meet him not to recognize and delight in this unique quality within him. George made the world a better place and words cannot begin to express how much his family and friends will miss him.

He is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Brenda, and sons Greg (fiancée Jennifer Cikaluk) of Bangkok, Thailand and Rob (partner Billy Sprague, Jr.) of Chicago, Illinois. He is also survived by his five brothers and sisters – Helen Lungu, Emil & Joyce Constantine, Minerva Straman, Aurelia Holman and Greg & Sharon Constantine; his brother and sister-in law Jack & Sue McCutchan; and 12 amazing nieces and nephews.

A celebration of George's life will be held at Flanner and Buchanan - Carmel (325 East Carmel Drive) on Sunday, November 10th. Visitation is from 2:30pm to 5:30pm and will be followed by a short memorial service.

Please share a personal memory of George and sign the virtual guest book. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to any of the following. Be sure to note "In memory of George Constantine" on any donations.

Butler Aphasia Community
College of Communications
Fairbanks 218
Butler University
4600 Sunset
Indianapolis, IN 46208

Forum at the Crossing
Employee Appreciation Fund
8505 Woodfield Crossing Blvd
Indianapolis, IN 46240

St. Vincent Hospice
8450 North Payne Road
Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN 46268

Western Golf Association
Evans Scholarship Foundation
Golf, IL 60029-0301

You are invited to go to the Guest Book page to pass along your personal message or tell a story. Sincerely, -Your friends at Flanner and Buchanan