Dirgo, George (1930 - 2014)

DIRGO, TRAYNOR, ACKLEY, FISCHER, JONES, ROGERS, MAVIS

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 5/25/2014 at 14:25:52

Name of deceased: George M. Dirgo

Aged: 84 yrs, 4 mo, 5 days

Residence: Harlan, IA

Born: Jan. 8, 1930, Omaha, NE

Died: May 13, 2014

Funeral services: Thursday, May 22, 2014; Pauley Jones Funeral Home, Harlan, IA. Burial was in the Harlan Cemetery, Harlan, IA

Survived by: children, Douglas Traynor of Palmdale, CA, Denise (spouse, Russell) Ackley of Lancaster, CA, Deborah (spouse, David) Fischer of Broken Arrow, OK, Nadine Dirgo-Jones of Rosamond, CA, George Jay (spouse, Kay) Dirgo of Rosamond, CA, and Darlene Sue (spouse, Jimie) Rogers of Lancaster, CA; 16 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brother, Harry "Bud" Dirgo of Omaha, NE

Predeceased by: Mother, Gladys (Mavis) Dirgo; father, Harry Dirgo; sons, John and Johann; brothers, Earl, Ray, and Vern; sisters, Katherine, Helen, and Ruth

Education: A life-long student, always wanting to learn more, George received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha when he was in his 70’s.

Religious affiliation: no information provided

Military service: George entered the U. S. Navy in March 1946. He received an honorable discharge in March 1947. After his discharge from the Navy, he enlisted in the U. S. Army in Jan. 1949 and served in Fairbanks, AK, being honorably discharged in July 1952.

Marriage: Darlene Johnson; Dec. 23, 1953; Irvington, NE

Employment: After his military service, in 1952, he moved to Baltimore, MD, where he learned the electronics trade. In 1957, he moved to California and worked on aircraft electronics and radar for the U2, SR71 Blackbird, F117 Stealth fighter planes, and the Cheyenne Gun ship that was never put into military service. George also worked for the FAA as a worthiness inspector in California. He retired from Lockheed Aircraft in California and returned to the Harlan area in 1992. During his retirement he continued working as an air worthiness inspector privately and for the US Navy doing the final air worthiness and acceptance inspections on the Lockheed P-3 Orion.

Hobbies/Interests: George was fluent in many languages and genealogy was his lifetime passion. He earned his private pilot’s license and flew a Piper Cherokee.

Sources: harlanonline.com; kjan.com; pauleyjones.com