George Gaydos

Services have been held for George Gaydos, 80, of Lehigh Acres, who died Nov. 25, 2011. He was born Dec. 11, 1930 and was the son of the late Michael and Maria Gaydos. Also preceding him in death are his brother, Michael and sister, Mary, and another brother, John. His older sister, Anna, remains the only member of the family at 100 years of age.

Gaydos attended the Raupp School in Lincoln Park and the Henry Ford Trade School in 1948 in the “M” Section. He then went on to Detroit Institute of Technology, graduating with a civil engineering degree in 1952.

Lockheed Aircraft recruited Gaydos to go to California where he worked on the drawing board, designing the instrument panel for the Navy P 2V Patrol bomber and also the F 104 fighter plane.

Gaydos also joined the Knights of Columbus out West.

He received his draft notice in 1954 and served with top secret clearance with the FBI.

He was a member of the Army Board Two in Fort George where he tested the armored division equipment. The testing was done all over the U.S. from the sand deserts to the ocean,

He was promoted to corporal. Normally men in this field were promoted to sergeant but General Dwight Eisenhower froze all ranks before Gaydos was discharged.

After discharge from the Army, Gaydos went to work for Ford Motor Co. until his retirement in 1989. He worked on the engine designs and water pumps.

Gaydos met and married Mariann in 1959 and they have two sons, David and Robert and one grandson, Zachary.

After retirement from Ford Motor Co., he moved to Florida and joined the Knights of Columbus St. Raphael Council 6265 and instituted many things for the council. He also joined the Elks in Lehigh Acres.

For the past 10 years, he has been working to help All Saints Catholic Church in North Fort Myers.

Lee Memorial Park handled arrangements, 334-4880.