George S. Loomis, WEv’79, the longtime business administrator for the department of physics and astronomy in the School of Arts and Sciences, died on May 8. He was 88. 

Mr. Loomis was born in Inwood, New York, where he worked on his family’s farm, then moved to Pulaski, New York, and graduated from Pulaski High School. After high school, Mr. Loomis served in the Air Force. In 1964, he joined Penn’s staff as an electronic tech in the department of physics in the School of Arts and Sciences. He held various technology-related positions in the same department until, in 1979, he earned his MBA by taking evening classes at the Wharton School. The same year, the physics and astronomy department (which had expanded to encompass astronomy during the 1970s) promoted Mr. Loomis to business administrator. He managed the department’s finances until 2000, when he retired, but continued to serve as a temporary staff member in the department until his death. 

Mr. Loomis was a devout fan of the Penn Quakers, attending over 300 consecutive men’s basketball games and occasionally guest coaching the team. In his retirement, Mr. Loomis sat on several residential club boards and compiled the newsletter for a senior community. 

He is survived by his wife, Edna Loomis (née Fairhurst); his children, Beverley Brown (Randy Ciglar) and Randy Brown (Laurie Brown); his siblings, Bertha Balcom (Earl Balcom), Barbara Kardys, and Howard Loomis (Bonnie Loomis); his grandchildren, Nicole Ciglar, Kristina Hedger, Danielle Wilhelm, Ian Brown, and Tyson Brown; and his great grandchild, Oaklyn Wilhem. Services were held privately.