George Paz Obituary, Death – On October 23, 2022, George Paz died unexpectedly. George was 67 years old at the time. For nearly two decades, he has been married to Melissa Oster Paz. George Paz was the son of Geronimo Paz and Colleen May Hart Paz. Stacy (Keith) Paz Burnett, Kelly (Robert) Meyer, and Becky (Darnell) McClaney were his children, and he was Heronimo (Barbara) Paz’s brother. Maeva, Eli and Gabriela Herbert-Paz, Annabelle and Gwyneth Meyer, Madison Paz, Lily and George McClaney, and Skylar and Carter Burnett all adored him. Brother-in-law of Becky (Con) Lane, Ron (Samantha) Oster, and Tony (Lauren) Oster; Uncle to Con, Libby, Joe, Jack, George and James Lane, Charlie and Ellie Oster, and countless others.
George’s leadership, generosity, and acts of kindness inspired and brightened the lives of many individuals, and he left a lasting impact. For all that he accomplished, George remained modest and quiet. George was involved in his community and was passionate about education. He had been the chairman of Logos School for a long time. He served on the St. Louis University Board of Trustees. He was the immediate past chair of the UMSL Chancellor’s Council’s Executive Committee. He previously served on the board of trustees at Washington University in St. Louis. George had an impact on North St. Louis County as well. He was an outspoken supporter of various charities, notably the Gateway Arch Park Foundation and the Siteman Cancer Center. George formerly served as the Executive Director of the St. Louis Police Foundation.
George was an ardent golfer who liked climbing and skiing in Colorado, spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and traveling the world’s best golf courses, especially Pebble Beach. George and Melissa, his wife and best friend, enjoyed good dining, historical biographies, and cheering for the Blues and Cardinals. George Paz led Express Scripts for nearly two decades to become the nation’s largest pharmaceutical benefit manager through an alignment-based business model that resulted in better, more cost-effective health outcomes for millions of people. George became President of Express Scripts in 2003 after joining the company as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in 1998. He was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2005, and Chairman of the Board the following year. George stepped down as CEO in 2016 and remained Chairman until Express Scripts was purchased by Cigna in December 2018.
George previously worked as Life Partners Group, Inc.’s CFO and Executive Vice President, as well as a partner at Coopers & Lybrand, LLP (now PwC). While completing his degree in the evenings, George began his professional career in the Investment Accounting Department of General American Life Insurance Company. George was a former Director and Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, as well as a member of the boards of directors of Honeywell International Inc. and Prudential Financial. He was the past president of Civic Progress. George graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting and was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Donations in his memory can be donated to the following organizations or to any of the charities mentioned in his obituary: JDRF website: www.jdrf.org/goto/inlovingmemory • Logos School: https://www.logosschool.org/assistance/donate-now • Siteman Cancer Center’s Breast Cancer Support Program: siteman.wustl.edu/tribute (Breast Cancer might be listed as a “Other Designation.”) The Saint Louis University Emergency Student Aid Scholarship is available at giving.slu.edu/paz. • Paz Scholarship Fund at the University of Missouri-St. Louis: https://giving.umsl.edu/Paz.
Services will be place at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 1 University Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63121-4400, on Sunday, November 20th. The service starts at 3:00 p.m., with doors opening at 2:00 p.m. Lot E is on the east side of the structure, while the main entrance is on the west. Please allow plenty of time for parking before the service.
