George A. Whitehead

George A. Whitehead, 87, of Grand Island died Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2012, at the V.A. Medical Center in Grand Island. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Grand Island. Burial will be in the Westlawn Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the church. Apfel Funeral Home is serving the family. Mr. Whitehead was born Nov. 10, 1924, at Anoke, Minn., to Arthur James and Marie Muriel (Kiser) Whitehead. Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Lucille E. Whitehead of Grand Island; one son, Mark Harold Whitehead of Lincoln; and two brothers, Louis Whitehead and Harold Whitehead, both of Minneapolis, Minn. Also surviving include his granddaughter, Alicia Lynn Whitehead of California. He grew up in Anoke and graduated high school there. He entered the United States Navy on March 27, 1944, at Minneapolis, Minn. He was united in marriage to Lucille Wyman on May 19, 1948, at Webster, S.D. The couple lived in Norfolk, Va., after George served four years abroad on the USS Leyte. He had made several cruises to the Mediterranean and South America. Their son, Mark was born on Aug. 20, 1949, and George was transferred to San Diego when the Korean War began in 1950. His 20 year career in the Navy ended in 1964 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer. The couple moved to Grand Island in 1964, where they owned and operated Team Electronics from 1964 to 1970. George then worked for the Omaha World Herald and also sold insurance. He was working for the Grand Island Independent at the time of his retirement in 2005. George was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the John Burch Society and Toastmasters. He enjoyed missionary work and especially interacting with people. He was preceded in death by brothers, Jim, Chester and Marvin.