George L. Petoff Sr.

George L. PETOFF, Sr. A Seattle resident since 1963, George was born April 2,1924 in Newcomb, NY and died June, 4, 2011 in Seattle, He was preceded in death by his parents Pena and Charles Petoff, brother Roger Petoff, and daughter Carol Jane Petoff. He is survived by his sister Marina Smith of Gloversville, NY, his wife of 58 years, Marjorie Anne Petoff; daughter Diana Turner (Michael), son George (Christine), and daughter Mary Anne Atzbach (Jay), six grandchildren, nieces, nephews and extended family. George was one of only three children (all siblings) born on the Robert Pruyn Great Adirondack Camp (now known as the Santanoni Preserve). In 1935 the family moved to a farm near Gloversville,NY. There George helped with tilling the 26 acre farm, planting the seeds, tending the vegetable crops, harvesting and marketing the crops, a successful and profitable operation even during the great depression of the time. The farm legacy lives on in the form of the Petoff Garden apartments built on land donated by the family. He graduated from Broadalbin, NY High School in 1942, then enlisted in the Army Air Corps during WW II and was called to active duty in January 1943. After attending a number of training courses leading to graduation from Bombardier school, George was assigned to a B-29 crew of the 73rd Bomb Wing 497 BG and was sent to Saipan in the Marianas Islands for combat duty. He flew 35 combat missions over mainland Japan, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal with 6 oak leaf clusters. George graduated with honors from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1951 earning a Mechanical Engineering degree. He worked for Chance Vought Air Craft and the University of Wichita Industrial Research Foundation before joining the Boeing Company for a 32 year career including engineering assignments in wind tunnel model design and computer aided design, last plane worked on was the B-2 Bomber. After retirement in 1987 he and Marjorie travelled throughout the United States, spending time in all 50 states, many Canadian provinces, and his parents homeland Bulgaria. George was a member of Southminster Presbyterian Church since 1964 and a proud 18 year member of Alcoholics Anonymous. Celebration of Life will be held Friday June 10, 2011 at 11:00 AM at Southminster Presbyterian Church 19834 8th Ave S. Des Moines. 206-878-8133. In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation 845 3rd Ave, 6th Floor New York, NY 10022 or Camp Santanoni 1745 Main St. Keeseville, NY 12944.