Leonard Charles Prentice Jr.

Leonard Charles Prentice December 24, 1923 - June 10, 2010 Norwich - Leonard Charles Prentice, Jr. of Norwich, Ct. age 89, passed away, June 10, 2010 The son of Leonard Charles and Florence Weller Prentice, he was born in Norwich, Connecticut on December 24th, 1923. He is preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Mildred A. George Prentice of New Haven Connecticut, who passed away on July 28, 2008. He is survived by his son, David Allen Prentice of Schuylkill Haven, Pa.and his son's two daughters, Ashley and Kelsey. He is also survived by his daughter Lynne Anne Prentice Dailey of Oxford, Ct. and her sons, Kristopher and Brian. His eldest sister, Shirley Weller Prentice Pierce of Fitchville, Ct., passed away in 1973. ( She was exactly six years his senior.) His sister Lorraine Elizabeth Prentice Reed, formally of Norwich and Groton, Ct., passed away in July of 2001. His youngest sister, Betty Anne Prentice Guile resides in Auburndale, Fl. He is also survived by a number of nieces and nephews. Mr. Prentice was a 1942 graduate of the Norwich Free Academy of Norwich, Ct. He also graduated from Roosevelt Aviation School of Mineola, NY in 1947, having also attended the school in 1943, prior to his service in WWII. He was licensed by the FAA (formally the CAA) upon graduation from Roosevelt as an aircraft and engine mechanic as well as an instructor in both fields. He also held a license as a private pilot with single engine land endorsements. In 1960 he earned an FCC license as an amateur radio owner/operator. His station call sign was K1VYM, with advanced class privileges. As an enlistee in the US Marine Corp in 1943, he, as all eastern US enlistees were, was "processed" through Parris Island, SC. While later stationed at MCAS Quantico, he applied for and was accepted into the Navy/Marine pilot training program. He eventually obtained the rank of a Navy V5 Cadet Lieutenant in that program. He was staioned at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, The University of Georgia, Athens and lastly at NAS Norman, Oklahoma, during the pilot training program. Returning to Connecticut after VJ Day with two honorable discharge documents, (Marine and Navy) he resumed his studies at Roosevelt. He retired from Sikorsky Aircraft's middle management of quality assurance in 1983, after 37 plus years of employment in their Connecticut facilities. Positions of note, while also fulfilling other production quality assurance duties, included that of chief inspector on the company's continuing refurbishment program of the fleet of US presidential helicopters in Eisenhower's and Kenedy's administrations and again during Nixon's and Ford's administrations. He was quality control manager on the Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) during construction of the two aircraft for NASA, and chief inspector in the development phase of the UTTAS aircraft which later became the Blackhawk for the US Army and the Seahawk for the US Navy. He, and his wife of 58 years, a former WWII US Army Nurse Corp 1st Lieutentant with European service, resided in Fairfield, Connecticut for 33 years prior to retiring to Fripp Island, SC and then to Ranger, NC. Mr. Prentice was a member of Fidelity-St. John's Masonic Lodge #3, a 32nd degree Mason in The Valley of Bridgeport Lafayette Consistory, and a Shriner and past director's staff member of Pyramid Temple, all of Connecticut. He was a past President, of the Lake Hills Property Owners Association of Fairfield, of the Sikorsky Supervisors Club, and of the Karyas Shrine Club. He was also a member and past Skipper of the Fore and Aft Club International, all of Connecticut. He was a past member of the Volunteer Fire Department and of the Sea Rescue Group on Fripp Island, SC. He also served as treasurer for several years on the Dickey Mountain Property Owners Association, in Ranger, NC. Mr. Prentice is a direct descendant of Valentine Prentice who immagrated to what is now Boston in 1631, from Essex, England. Arrangements are incomplete, and at the discretion of the immediate family. His express desire was to be cremated with interment in Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich, Ct. with a token amount of ashes to be cast on to the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Aruba. The arrangemetns for Mr. Prentice, Jr. were entrusted to the Cochran Funeral Home of Murphy, NC. Friends and family can sign the guest register and send their condolences at www.cochranfuneralhomes.com