George Joseph Wernette

WERNETTE, GEORGE JOSEPH
George Joseph Wernette, 87, of Lake Havasu City Ariz., born June 9, 1926, in Flint, Mi., passed away June 3, 2014, in Prescott, Arizona. Services were held on 11 a.m. June 12, 2014, at the Prescott National Cemetery. The Arrangements were made by Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home.

George was preceded in death by his loving wife Ruth Elaine (Kelly) Wernette (d. Dec. 21, 2008) and is survived by one son, Kelly D. Wernette ( &Wife, Kathleen Wernette), and two grandchildren, Laura (Wernette) Chambers, and Shawn Wernette, and one great grandchild, Kasey Ann Chambers. George was a graduate of Mt. Morris High School in 1943 near Flint, Michigan. He participated in baseball, football, and basketball for four years.

He joined the US Navy after High School and served in the L.S.T. group 19 during the war (WWII) where he participated in 20+ combat missions in the Pacific. After being honorably discharged from the Navy he reenlisted in the US Army in 1948 and participated in the Berlin Airlift while serving in the honor guard of General George Patton as a member of the 23rd Infantry Division, Co. F. While in Germany he was a member of the Berlin Bears semi pro football team, a unit design to entertain the troops during that era.

George Married Ruth Kelly Diamond on August 16, 1949. George adopted Ruth’s son Kelly Diamond from a previous marriage and the family lived in the Davison, Michigan area. George is remembered as an excellent engineer at Buick plant 14 (Experimental Engineering Department) in Flint Michigan where he worked for over 30 years. He was an enthusiastic hunter, fisherman, and sportsman though out his life. He loved to camp and fish in the cold waters of Michigan’s Pine River near Luther, Michigan. He was famous for cooking gourmet trout and shish kabob steak over the open fire.

George retired from working at Buick in 1979 and sold his house in Davison, Michigan and moved to sunny Lake Havasu City, Arizona. George and Ruth enjoyed many wonderful years in Lake Havasu where they were well loved by neighbors and friends. He and Ruth would often escape the heat of Arizona in the summer and head to Trinity Lake California and the cool high county. There he could once again chase the trout he so dearly loved. He leaves many nieces and nephews who will be saddened by his passing.

Additional Comments - by Kelly Wernette:

George Joseph Wernette family background:
The Wernette family hails from Remus, Michigan where the Wernette name is very well known. Both of George’s parents Ferris and Eleanor were born in Remus. Ferris and Eleanor would live in Mt. Morris Michigan in the 1930’s but would eventually buy a 120 acre farm at 102 Plains Road., Deford, Michigan. Ferris would work for over 50 years for Buick Motor Division in Flint, Michigan. He started out as an inspector for big press operators and was a setup man for skilled trades lathe operators. He was a member of local 599. He worked for 30 years as the experimental engineering technician/Supervisor.

Ferris had six children, three boys and 3 girls. The boys were Duane, George, and Clayton: the girls were Jeanette and Beatrice. All three Wernette boys were very skilled in the mechanical and engineering areas. They all worked for GM plants in Michigan and retired from there. The Wernette family can be seen in the 1930 census living in Mt. Morris Michigan on Jennings and Pierson Road.

I can remember visiting the Wernette Family farm in the 1960’s (Near Caro/Cass City). When the entire Wernette family gathered to enjoy a holiday meal it was pure family chaos. However, it was a very enjoyable form of chaos. They were a large and almost always noisy group. The excitement of a clan gathering was in the air. Almost always a hunting party would be formed and the men were off with shotguns collecting Rabbits, Pheasants, Partridge, and Deer. They all sat around an enormous dining table telling tall tales, laughing, and joking. The table itself was filled with cakes, homemade bread, wild game, pies of all types, and several main courses. Wernette children and grand children were seen as far as the eye could see. I feel fortunate to have shared that part of Americana with the Wernette family.

Submitted by: Kelly Wernette, October 2014