in CeleBraTion of - North Coast Calvary Chapel

In Celebration ofLifeGeorge “Bear” Trillizio12/09/49 - 5/10/12

Bear’s Memorial ServiceTuesday, May 292 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race,I have kept the faith.Piano Prelude – Jeffrey GriffithWelcome – Jeff ReinkeOpening Prayer – Aaron CameronGospel Choir – Voices of FulfillmentColor Guard/Pledge of Allegiance – MarinesScripture Reading – Aaron CameronWorship – Beejay OnderaWith Recruits at Edson Range, Camp PendeltonEulogy – Buzz BuzbeeTestimonies – Military PersonnelVideo Testimonies – Mark Foreman & NCCC StaffMessage – Jeff ReinkeVideo TributeGospel Choir – Voices of FulfillmentClosing Prayer – Orville StantonPiano Postlude – Jeffrey GriffithPlease join us on the Piazza immediately after the service for coffee & refreshments. A microphone will be set upfor anyone who wants to share a fond memory or story about Pastor Bear.“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.”Song of Songs 6:3Bear lifting 900lbs in the 1990s

The StoryofBearToday we gather to remember and to celebratethe life of Pastor George “Bear” Trillizio;beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, friend, coach and Pastor to many for over30 years. His 62 years of life were filled with a passionate heart for living andloving people all over the world.George Joseph Trillizio was the oldest of four children born to George andCarmela Trillizio December 9th, 1949 in Buffalo, New York. He grew up on thewest side of “Little Italy” in the city of Buffalo, along with his younger siblings,Maria, Christine, and Anthony. Later on, the family would move out to the country,where George learned to operate and drive the tractors and dump trucks hisfather owned in a construction business.As a young child George was an altar boy and attended several local catholicschools in the neighborhood. He developed a love and passion for music at anearly age, beginning with the accordion, and later the piano which led him to manycompetitions throughout his childhood and adolescent years. In Jr. High he wasgiven a pair of barbells which began his passion for weight lifting and later giventhe nick name “Bear” for his loud, gruff voice, bear-like build and the ability towithstand the extreme, below zero temperatures of Buffalo.George graduated from Cardinal O’Hara High School in 1967, and brieflyattended college before enlisting in the USMC during the Vietnam War. During histwo deployments he was attached to a special operations platoon of Marines andNavy Seabees that carried out undisclosed missions throughout Cuba, Vietnamand Puerto Rico. He had a difficult time returning home after being dischargedfrom the service and turned to drugs and power lifting as a means to cope.As George got more serious about power lifting and training for competitions,he began to workout with a group of football players from the Buffalo Bills.During the mid 70’s he trained and coached these men in the weight room. Thisbecame a passion that consumed him and he even won the US Open Power LiftChampionship in 1974.As his life began to spiral out of control his friends encouraged him to get awayand try to get his life back on track, sending him on “vacation” to California…henever went back. It was here that his journey with the Lord began. He didn’t havea plan for a job or place to live, but the Lord did. Bear had a radical encounterwith the Lord, was immediately delivered from his addiction to drugs, and gave hisheart and life to Jesus. From that day on, his passion was focused on Jesus andhow to serve Him.Bear volunteered as a youth leader in a church in Orange County where he was discipled and mentored,eventually becoming the Youth Pastor. He worked with the teenagers there for a couple years and theLord began to give him a heart for evangelism to reach the youth. He was working as a heavy equipmentoperator at the time and got a job in North San Diego County in the early 80’s and relocated. He wasintroduced to a new church in Encinitas called Calvary Chapel North Coast and the rest is history! Over30 years ago, Pastor Bear started the youth ministry here with just a handful of High School & Jr. Highstudents. Young people of all ages have been his passion ever since. He has ministered to thousands ofyouth over the years and mentored many youth leaders who he later passed on the ministry to.Pastor Bear met his wife at NCCC, and they began their married life together on June 6, 1986. Hewas a faithful and loving husband to Corrie for nearly 26 years this June. Together they have beenraising four wonderful children: Zach, Bella, Antonio, and Olivia. They were his pride and joy; anyonewithin earshot couldn’t avoid hearing him brag on his kids. He has gone to countless sporting events,performances, plays, and school activities and loved every moment watching his kids shine in theirGod-given gifts and abilities. He loved his family passionately, and everyone knew it!Over the years in ministry at NCCC, Pastor Bear had many different roles, his most recent being theOutreach Pastor. He ministered to many in the congregation and beyond, receiving calls to visit jails,hospitals, and homes to pray for the troubled, the sick, the lonely and the dying. From 2007-2012Pastor Bear served on MCB Camp Pendleton with the USMC Marine Recruits, speaking about thelove of our Heavenly Father and sharing his testimony every Sunday at the Edson Range Chapel.His passion for evangelism has been seen on base as thousands of young Marines have committedtheir lives to Christ and been personally baptized along with other US Marine Chaplains he servedalongside, before going off to various stations all over the world. He felt extremely privileged andconsidered it a huge honor to serve these young men through this ministry outreach of NCCC.Pastor George “Bear” Trillizio has been a faithful servant to the One Who Redeemed him 35 yearsago, and will always be remembered for his passionate love for his family, for people, and most ofall his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

a note of thanksPastor Bear’s family would like to thank all of you for the overwhelming amount of loveand support you’ve poured out on us during this difficult season of grief and loss of theman we loved so dearly. Your prayers, cards, letters, shared tears, hugs, funny stories,meals, and financial gifts have been such an encouragement to us. To all of you who havecontributed in some way to this day of celebration, we extend our deepest gratitude.We are so grateful for this beautiful body of Christ, both near and far, who have been acontinual source of blessing as we awake each morning to His new mercies.Psalm 40I waited patiently for the Lord;he turned to me and heard my cry.He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done,the things you planned for us.None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds,they would be too many to declare.Sacrifice and offering you did not desire -but my ears you have opened -burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.Then I said, “Here I am, I have come -it is written about me in the scroll.I desire to do your will, my God;your law is within my heart.”I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know.I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.I do not conceal your love and your faithfulnessfrom the great assembly.Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;may your love and faithfulness always protect me.Aaron & Katie’s Wedding 2007Big Bear with Olivia 2000With Bella & Zach 1997With Antonio on his 3rd Birthday

If you would like to donate to the Trillizio family,you can drop your donation in the offering boxes in the back of the Family Center.For checks, please write “Bear” in the memo line.There is also an information and giving link online atwww.northcoastcalvary.org/pastorbear