George Frankin Gardei, 85, passed from this life into eternity on Friday, March 27, 2015. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 16, at Valley View Southern Baptist Church, located at 1212 S. Main St. in Snowflake.
He was born on Feb. 21, 1930, in Akron, Ohio, to George Fredrick and Emma Gardei, the sixth of seven children. He went through school in Akron and was voted the smartest in his graduating class.
After graduation he enlisted in the Navy, where he received all of his training in electronics. While in the Navy, he met and married Goldie Crowe, who was the love of his life.
After his discharge from the Navy, he went to work for Goodyear Aircraft in Akron, where he worked for several years. In 1955, he went to Hughes Aircraft in Los Angeles, Calif., where he stayed one year. In 1956 he went back to Goodyear Aircraft, which had changed its name and moved to Goodyear, Ariz. He stayed there for 31 years, working on many projects, all of which were classified at the time and probably some are still to this day.
He retired from Goodyear Aerospace in 1987 and moved to “his mesa” outside of Snowflake. There he made his home. It was total solar and something to see. Some of the components he designed and built himself. It was still running at his death. He had a brilliant mind and there was nothing he could not do once he set his mind to it. The solar power system is just one example.
He met Eleanor Ferry and they were married in December 1998. They were married 15½ years until he went to live with his daughter in Cave Creek last year.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Goldie.
Survivors include four children, Kathryn Hanson of Cave Creek, William (Donna) Gardei of Derry, N.H., Carol Mack of Portland, Ore., and Carl (Janet) Gardei of Norcross, Ga.; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
