George Leslie Petherick, a Naval Veteran and long-time resident of Marietta, Georgia, passed away on December 9, 2023.

Les, as he was known by friends and family, was born December 22, 1929, in Hershey, Nebraska to George Harry and Lenora Adella Petherick. He graduated from Zion Consolidated School in 1947. His father was an Assembly of God minister which led the family to move throughout Nebraska. In 1942 the family settled in Zion, Iowa. He attended Creston Community College for one year before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. After completing boot camp in San Diego, CA he attended the Navy Air Control School and was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Atlantic City, N.J. While still in Atlantic City, he took the Aviation Cadet Program Test and was accepted into that program. He was then assigned to the Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL. In January 1952 he received his Navy Wings and Commission as an Ensign. While undergoing training in the A-4 at VA 92 Quonset Point, RI he was reassigned to the Helicopter Training Squadron in Pensacola, FL. After completion he was assigned to Helicopter Squadron One in Lakehurst, NJ. While there he was sent on two classified missions and was awarded the Navy Air Medal. In 1955 Les was assigned to the Helicopter Squadron One as a Flight Instructor. In 1958 he was transferred to the Naval Intelligence School in Washington, D.C. After completion he was assigned to the Fleet Intelligence Center in Pearl Harbor, HI. And was stationed on Ford Island. In 1962 Les transferred to Helicopter Squadron Two at Ream Field, San Diego, CA. While there he developed night rescue and night plane guard procedures. In 1964 he was transferred to the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA. While there he completed his college education, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in International Relations. He was assigned to The Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon in the Special Activities Office. Les was the Branch Chief of one of the units. Les retired from The Navy in September 1968. On retiring he received the Joint Services Commendation Medal.

In January 1969 Les moved to Marietta, Ga. And went to work for Lockheed as a Senior Safety Design Engineer on the Lockheed 1-1011. In July 1972 he joined the Georgia Institute of Technology as Assistant Director of Campus Safety. In 1980 he started the Department of Environmental Safety as the Director. Les retired from Georgia Tech in September 1997 Les was an avid golfer. While stationed in Hawaii he qualified for All-Navy and carried a scratch handicap for many years. He was much sought after to round out a golf team. He finally had to give up the game in 2018 when he was placed on oxygen.

Les was always active in church. He loved singing solos and being in the choir, to his sorrow he had to give this up due to the constant use of oxygen.

Les has been married to Frances Malinda Petherick for 44 years. Les was preceded in death by his parents, sister Ida Lee Totzke, and sister Bonnie Jayne Green. He is survived in death by his brother W. Paul Petherick of Bettendorf, IA, sister Wanona Dwyer of Winterset, IA., children, Gary Petherick, Karen Mays, Terry Petherick, stepchildren Bobbie Rhodes, Gary Brumit, Jeff Brumit, and Steve Brumit, and 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. A service to honor Les's life will be held at Marietta Funeral Home on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 at 12:00PM. The family will receive guests at the funeral home from 11:00AM until the service time. Burial with military honors will be immediately following the service at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.

Mr. Petherick's funeral service will be live streamed on Marietta Funeral Home's Facebook page.