George J. Lippincott

George Lippincott, 93, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on March 6, 2014. He was born to Agnes (Fitzgerald) and George R. Lippincott on March 20, 1920, in Mansfield, WA, the eldest of five children. After graduating from Okanogan High School, George enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1940. Following boot camp in San Diego, George was assigned to the USS Lexington as an ordinanceman with a dive bomber squadron. The Lexington left Pearl Harbor on December 5, 1941, two days before the attack. On May 8, 1942, the Lexington was sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea. George jumped off the fantail as a Second Class and was soon picked up by an American destroyer and given a wartime promotion to Chief Petty Officer. The remainder of the war was spent in several locations in the south pacific, including a stint with “Pappy” Boyington on Villa Villa in the Solomon Islands. On December 26, 1951, George married Carol Berkey at NAS North Island in San Diego. George remained in the Navy and was stationed at Barbers Point, Hawaii with Carrier Service Unit 3, NAS Whidbey Island, and the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard. In 1956, George also served a detail in Iwakuni, Japan as an advisor, training 48 Japanese pilots to fly U.S. Navy P2V-7 Neptunes. George retired from the Navy in December, 1959. Following his Navy Retirement, George, Carol and the three kids moved to Wenatchee, WA. Soon after, George took a job as a police officer for the City of Chelan. In March of 1960, George moved the family to Chelan and worked for the Chelan Police Department until 1969, serving the last five years as Chief of Police. After leaving the Police Department, George went to work for Trout as a forklift operator until his final retirement in 1983. George and Carol were avid travelers and put thousands of miles on their motorhome chasing friends and family around the west. George loved to hunt and fish and spent precious hours in the “rock pile” goose blinds around Mansfield with his buddies. George was a great kidder and was fond of pulling stunts on the kids and grandkids that often backfired on him to the delight of friends and family. George is survived by his wife, Carol; daughters, Barbara (David) Henderson of Ontario, OR and Marsha Novich of Chelan; two grandsons, Eric Novich of Chelan and Andrew Henderson of Ontario, OR; three granddaughters, Beth (Kelly) Millard of Salt Lake City, UT, Kaylee Novich of Chelan, and Jenny (Jake) Pederson of Nampa, ID; and two great-grandchildren, Dillon Novich of Chelan and Lily Jean Pederson of Nampa, ID. George was preceded in death by his son, Jim; his parents; brothers, Bill, Leo, and Don; and sister, Gerry King. The family wishes to thank the staff at Blossom Creek Memory Care Community for their care and attention to George. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675 or at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

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George J. Lippincott

March 20, 1920 - March 6, 2014