Msgr. George Hancock, 102, passed away on Monday, November 8, 2021, at the Carmel Home in Owensboro, KY. He was born on February 2, 1919 in Waverly, KY, the son of the late George Hiram Hancock and Virginia FreDella Fenwick. He attended grade and high school at St. Peter’s, Waverly. Monsignor entered St. Meinrad Minor Seminary and went on to study philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of America. He did graduate work in Church Law at the Lateran University in Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Owensboro by the Most Rev. Francis R. Cotton at St. Stephen Cathedral on May 27, 1947.
His priestly assignments include associate pastor positions at Sts. William and Lawrence in Daviess County and Sts. Joseph and Paul in Owensboro, while teaching high school full-time at St. Frances Academy and Owensboro Catholic High School. He served as administrator and pastor at St. Peter of Alcantara in Stanley from 1954 to 1963; pastor of St. Joseph in Leitchfield from 1962 to 1963, when he was appointed Chancellor of the diocese, a position held until 1989. He was also Presiding Judge of the Matrimonial Court from 1958 to 1983. While chancellor, he established two parishes, St. Henry in Aurora and St. Anthony of Padua in Grand Rivers, and became their full-time pastor in 1989. In September of 2007, Msgr. Hancock retired to the Bishop Cotton Apartments in Owensboro.
Msgr. Hancock loved the outdoors and enjoyed fishing on Kentucky and Barkley Lakes. He was devoted to the care of the people in his parishes.
Msgr. Hancock is survived by his sister, FreDella Hancock of Owensboro, a brother, Franklin (Agnes) Hancock of Morganfield and several nieces.
The Funeral Mass will be 12:00 pm Friday at St. Stephen Cathedral. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be held 3:00 to 5:00 pm Thursday, November 11, 2021 at the Carmel Home, and from 6:00 to 8:00 pm Thursday, November 11, 2021 at St. Stephen Cathedral and from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on Friday at St. Stephen Cathedral. Prayers will be said on Thursday, November 11 at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of Masses or donations to the Charitable Trust Fund for Retired Priests, 600 Locust Street, Owensboro, KY 42301.
Haley McGinnis Funeral Home & Crematory is both honored and privileged to be entrusted with the care of Msgr. Hancock. Share your messages of condolence with the family of Monsignor George Hancock and sign his virtual guestbook by going to www.haleymcginnis.com