George P Gayes

He served in the US Army Air Corp during WWII in New Guinea and the Philippines as a Photo Tech; seeing the first ever seen picture of the atomic bomb plum over Hiroshima before it was published. He returned home in 1945; then went on to college at NYU, graduating in 3 years with an Aero Nautical Engineering degree. He worked for Grumman Aero Space program in Bethpage, Long Island. While there, he was involved with the lunar module space program flight testing and including the Apollo space program.

Listed in Who’s Who in Aviation and Aerospace in 1983, he had a patent for compensating antenna membrane deflection, which he was proud of.

He was also listed in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics on flight testing and a member of the technical committee. Along with a fellow engineer, they began the society of flight test engineers which still meet once a year and include members from the International Community of Flight Testers.

George retired in 1988 and moved to Port St. Lucie, FL, near his sister Tess Bernota and husband in 1993. He was invited to be part of the Citizen Ambassador Program of Spokane, WA, and with 16 other engineers, test pilots and aviation officials, went to Russia and the Ukraine to share knowledge in their field.

While in Port St. Lucie, FL, he met Carol, his wife of 19 years. They enjoyed a beautiful life together, traveling around the world. They enjoyed boating, golf, bowling, the theatre and were members of the Port St. Lucie Yacht Club. He was also a member of the U.S. Power Squadron, where he won an award for his channel marker publication.

George had a curiosity about life; one of his main interests was archeology and went with his wife Carol to Israel to spend one month on a dig in Hazor under Hebrew Univeristy.

He was a very loving, kind, caring, honorable man and dearly loved and will be missed by his wife, family and friends.

He was predeceased by his parents, 3 brothers, John, Bill and Frank Gayes and a son John Gayes.

He leaves behind his sister, Tess Bernota; wife Carol, daughter Susan Smith and Chuck, Dr. Paul Gayes and wife Aggie, stepchildren, Connie Hart, Laurie Morgan, Jeff and Marshall Morgan, along with 5 grandchildren.

George was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church.

A Memorial Mass will be May 6, 2014, 10:00AM at Holy Family Catholic Church, Port St. Lucie, FL.

Arrangements are entrusted to Aycock Funeral Home, Port St. Lucie, FL. Please visit and sign our guest register book at www.aycockportstlucie.com.