George B. Delany

George B. Delany ’64, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, passed away on Jan. 21, 2026.

George Battle Delany, 79, of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, died peacefully at home on January 21, 2026. He was born in 1946 in Manhattan to Ida Battle Horne Delany and Dr. George Joseph Delany, a surgeon at St. Vincent’s Hospital. One of three children, he was raised in Englewood, New Jersey, later moving to Princeton, where he attended Princeton High School. At fifteen, he transferred to the Milton Hershey School for Boys—an experience that shaped him profoundly, instilling a deep work ethic and a love of animals that stayed with him for life.

George graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in 1969, after which he built a career as a graphic designer. He worked at E.L. Freeman Printing Company, Arthur D. Little, Scudder, Stevens & Clark, and founded his own company, Dandyroll, which was renamed AAAForay. In his later years he taught at New England Tech, sharing his design knowledge with a new generation.

A lifelong painter, George’s work was characterized by intrigue and humor, and provocative, playful portrayals of serious subjects. He wove his faith and philosophical curiosities into his art. He exhibited widely in Providence, including at the Providence Art Club, and his work is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

In the early 1990s, George bought a big red tractor and began raising goats, sheep, chickens, and other animals—harking back to early mornings at Milton Hershey where the boys milked cows for Hershey chocolate production. Eventually, he became a devoted beekeeper, making honey for friends and marveling at the bees. For George, animals—and especially the bees—held keys to the universe. As he wrote on his honey labels: “This magic show happens in the realm of the miraculous.”

Expressive and poetic, he delighted in big ideas, bringing humor and lightness to everything he did. He was philosophical and devout, warm and funny, open-minded and deeply loving.

George is survived by his wife, Sandra; his two sons, George Alexander Delany and Nicholas Battle Delany; his daughter-in-law, Pascale Gueracague; and his grandson, Rey.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 7, at 11:00 am at Central Congregational Church in Providence. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Central Congregational Church or donkeyrescue.org