George Bernard Lauinger

George Bernard Lauinger, 71, of Bay Port, died August 31 at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan.

George received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and then became a seasonal ranger at Bald Mountain Recreation Area in the summer of 1974 while attending Wayne State University Law School.  After law school and passing the Bar Exam he continued working at Bald Mountain.  His passion for State Parks, nature, and people led him to become park manager at Sleeper State Park and then at Bay City State Park.  As manager of Bay City State Park, he immediately became involved with the Friends of Bay City State Park, a partnership group with the DNR. Although there were many improvements during his tenure, the ones that stand out are the "Save the Towers" project that successfully reconditioned two 36 ft tall observation towers and Spray by the Bay splashpad which opened in 2011. Always innovative, George brought the Electric Charging Station to the park while never losing site of his responsibility to protect the natural environment.  During his 44 years with the DNR, George took pride in assisting others in furthering their careers in parks and was always delighted to visit with former employees.  He was involved in his local community in several aspects before and after retirement, serving on the Fairhaven Township Board of Review, Huron County Planning Commission, Huron County Nature Center Board and the Friends of Bay City State Park Board.

George never married and had no children, but he had a generous heart for his feline companions.  Every cat George ever had was a stray that he took in and gave a home.

He leaves behind a niece, Robin Heiser of Massachusetts and nephew, Michael Heiser of Arizona and countless friends.

A Celebration of George’s Life will be held at the Bay City State Park Activity Shelter on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.