George R. Hood
George R. Hood, Sr., 93, of Allentown, Pa. died Sunday, June 14, 2015, in St. Luke’s Hospital.
He was the husband of the late Thelma M. (Ritzman) Hood, who passed away September 14, 2007, in Sacred Heart Hospital.
Born in Pottsville, on March 4, 1922, he was placed in a Baptist orphanage in Philadelphia at age six after the death of his parents, James and Edna (Bickert) Hood.
He graduated from Milton Hershey School (formerly Hershey Industrial School), Hershey, in 1939.
George enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corps in May 1942 and attended Muhlenberg College until induction.
He finished Airplane Mechanics School, Aerial Gunnery School, and Aviation Cadet Training and was sent to James Millikin University in Decatur IL.
He was sent to San Marcus Advanced Navigation School where he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.
Stationed on Guam, he served as a Second Lieutenant B-29 Navigator and flew 33 combat missions against Japan, including the last mission of World War II.
George married his wife of 64 years on June 1, 1943, in Goldsboro NC.
He was the first employee of R. P. Mills Associates and became its president on July 16, 1974, and retired in January 1988.
He served as President of the Board of Trustees of Trinity U. M. Church (formerly Ebenezer E. U. B.) and then served on the Board of Directors of Salem U. M. Church at the time of its merger with Trinity.
Survivors: son, George, Jr. and wife, Linda, Seattle WA; daughters, Bonnie Witmer and husband, Herbert, Millersville, Carol, West Chester, Robyn, Allentown; two grandsons, Michael, Benjamin; three great grandsons.
Services: 12 PM Thursday at Salem U. M. Church, 1401 W. Linden St. Viewing 10:30 AM until service time at church. Interment, immediately following service, with military honors, will be in Cedar Hill Memorial Park.
Arrangements by STEPHENS FUNERAL HOME, INC. () Contributions: in lieu of flowers, to church 18102 or Lehigh Valley Veterans History Project 204 S. 17th St. Allentown PA 18104.