He was a graduate of Purdue University with a Professional Mechanical Engineering degree, and a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. He was active in numerous hiking and dancing clubs and also a violinist with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra for decades, and played with various church orchestras and quartets. He also was an Ohio River boating enthusiast.
At 19 years of age he was First Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps holding lead navigator position in the 455th squadron. To climb up on a B24 Liberator as a navigator and use celestial navigation to the Azores then to Italy to complete 35 missions in enemy territory searching for the target, is bravery beyond words. Daddy earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. As he simply put it “I was good at math.” What a man.
He put forth his engineering skills at International Steel, Whirlpool, and retired from George Koch & Sons.
Daddy was preceded in death by his parents, Philip and Lydia (Mulzer); brothers, Gilbert, Raymond, Edward; and sister, Elsie. Our mother, Carolyn Jean (Ruff) passed away in 1963, hence putting Daddy’s life on standby to raise their five children. He raised us to be self-managed as long as we followed his posted house rules. Daddy then set out to teach us to be adventurous in life and of course, how to properly navigate.
He is survived by his children, daughters, Pamela (Wayne) Granderson of Leopold, Catherine Kreipke of Indianapolis, Clementine (Larry) Goad, Montana Peters; and his life-long devoted son, Samuel Peters; along with grandchildren, Anna Rust (Granderson), Dora Kuntz (Granderson), Even Granderson; and seven great grandchildren.
The family would like to thank Steve Lawton of Helping Hands for his kindness and care giving expertise.
A private family burial was held at Oak Hill Cemetery on December 31st with Pastor Chad Eckels officiating and military rites from the Retired Veterans Memorial Club.
Condolences may be made online at www.AlexanderWestChapel.com.
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