George Frederick Humbert Jr.

1932 - 2006

George Frederick Humbert Jr. of Pahrump, Nev., died on Sept. 4, 2006, at University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nev., after a brief battle with cancer (multiple myeloma).

George Frederick Humbert Jr. ("Fred") was born in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 9, 1932, to Col. George Fredrick Humbert Sr. and Francis Sperry Humbert. For many years he led the life of an "Army brat," then moved to El Paso, Texas, in his early teens. He attended Austin High School in El Paso and graduated from the University of Texas in 1952. He graduated from Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas, in 1957.

Dr. Humbert served proudly and with honor in the United Stated Navy from 1957 to 1966. While serving as a medical officer in the Navy he became a flight surgeon, earning his golden wings in 1961. He had a passion for flying and loved serving with the Navy and Marine fighter squadrons. Most notably he relished the honor of flying at Mach 2.

In 1966, Dr. Humbert left the Navy to work with NASA at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Chief among his accomplishments was his involvement in developing life support systems for the moon landing and monitoring the astronauts during the first moon walk.

In 1973 Dr. Humbert left NASA to spend time with this family. A year later he started a family practice in the Conejo Valley, where he developed and valued many long-lasting professional and personal relationships.

Dr. Humbert retired to Pahrump, Nev., in 1996 where he led a very active and fulfilling life. His many projects included building a house and placing each nut and bolt with his own two hands. Other ventures consisted of walking the Grand Canyon from the North Rim to the South Rim, scuba diving, and caring for his neighbor's tigers and lions.

Above all, Fred was family man and enjoyed spending many happy hours with them. He is survived by his devoted wife of 50 years, Barbara Humbert, and his three children, Barbara Jean Waite, Cindy Lee Glick and George Frederick Humbert III, and he loved the spouses, Carl Waite, David Glick and Pamela Humbert, as his own. He delighted in his grandchildren, David Shane Glick, Jeffrey Allen Glick, Brent Lee Glick, Summer Lee Glick, Katelyn Marie Humbert, Conner Frederick Humbert, Collin Patrick Humbert and Kinsey Rae Humbert. He also leaves behind three cherished sisters, Barbara Handy of Lynchburg, Va., Martha Riley of Durham, N.C., and Mary Ann Luther of El Paso, Texas; as well as a dear sister-in-law, Gail Keys of Pahrump, Nev.

A memorial service will be held at noon Saturday, Sept. 9, at Valley Oaks-Griffin Memorial Park, 5600 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be sent to American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or the National Wildlife Association (www.nwf.org) in the name of George Frederick Humbert Jr.

Finally, the family would like to give special thanks to the doctors and nurses at UMC for the extraordinary care given to Dr. Humbert during his illness.