GEORGE HOWARD THORPE

George passed away on Monday July 30, 2012, of natural causes at his home near Madera Ca. George was born September 24, 1926, in Gridley Ca. He grew up with two brothers and one sister at their family farm near Stockton, Ca. The family moved to Los Banos, Ca. during George's High School years. George served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during WWII for two years and after the war returned to Los Banos where he married Rose Cunha in 1950. George took a job with Pacific Gas and Electric and his job led him to Firebaugh where he and Rose started their family of two boys. George lived in Firebaugh for over 40 years where he was active, kind, and quietly generous to the whole community. Whenever there was electrical trouble, everyone would call George directly knowing that he would quickly fix the problem. After retiring from PG&E, he and Rose moved to Ft Bragg, Ca., where he built a house in the redwoods and started a casual second career in commercial fishing and restoring fishing boats. After 15 years on the coast, George and Rose returned to the valley and built a house on farmland near Madera, Ca. where George continued to be active, right up to the day of his passing. George had a multitude of interests, from being a private pilot, to fishing in Alaska and Oregon, to restoring cars, metal and woodworking, cruises through the Panama Canal and the Baltic Sea. Those that know George also know that his life cannot be summarized in a few paragraphs. We are all better off for having known him. He is survived by his two sons; his wife Rose; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Viewing will be at Whitehurst Chapel, 16524 Center Ave. in Los Banos on Sunday, August 12, 2012, at 12:00 noon. A wake follows in banquet room at M&M Restaurant, 400 Pacheco Blvd. in Los Banos at 3:00 p.m.