GEORGE EDWARD LEAVITT

George Edward Leavitt was born October 10, 1918 to George Clark Leavitt and Mary Viola Sibley at Cardston, Alberta, Canada. He was their fourth child and their second son.

His mother was very ill after his birth and had to be hospitalized for a year with milk leg. The doctors immobilized her leg for this long period of time. During her stay in the hospital her husband and the two daughters, Madge and Gwen, took over the household duties and the care of the new baby George. This heavy responsibility, worry and the severe flu epidemic of 1919-1920, caused George's father to become ill and his life ended along with that of their first son, Royce LeGrand, on May 8, 1920.

George's mother married Charles Wright Spence in 1924. As a child, George was dutiful, obedient and respectful to his mother and stepfather. He was baptized January 25, 1927 before the family left Canada at the age of eight by Heber W. Harker and confirmed by his Uncle Samuel J. Baker.

After they moved to the States, he was raised in Sacramento and Lincoln, California. From necessity his schooling was limited to high school, but after his mission he took many college courses as well as taking advantage of other opportunities; therefore, he grew in wisdom and understanding through a sincere desire to improve himself intellectually and spiritually.

Most important in his life was his testimony of the gospel. He exhibited this through a lifetime of service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a missionary in England and the Western States. After his release from his mission, in July, 1941, he worked as an aircraft mechanic and qualified for pilot training in the United States Air Corp. He graduated from pilot training as a 2nd Lt. and then went through twin engine instructor school. He instructed flying for two years and went on to fly B-19 and B-29 bombers and was a captain by the time he left the service when World War II ended.

He met the most important girl in his life in Sacramento, California, Elaine Stoddard Brenchley. She was born in Wellsville, Cache, Utah. They were married November 5, 1942 in the Salt Lake Temple.

Their married life has been spent in Sacramento, California; Mesa, Arizona; San Francisco, California; Fair Oaks, California; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

After the war he became a quality control engineer and later on operation manager for Pacific Cement & Aggregates in Sacramento. He transferred to Honolulu in January, 1961 and changed to marketing and sales manager for Pacific Concrete and Rock Company in 1968.

George's religious and civic responsibilities were woven about his daily family life. He served in many church positions: Ward M.I.A. activity counselor; stake explorer advisor; counselor in the bishopric in San Francisco; Seventy's president and bishop in Fair Oaks; counselor in the stake presidency in Sacramento and Honolulu and stake president of the Pearl Harbor Stake.

His civic duties were numerous. He was president of the Pearl Harbor Rotary; member of American Military Engineers; Executive Board of the Aloha Boy Scout Council of Hawaii; president of Cement and Concrete Products of Honolulu, Hawaii; chairman of a fund drive in Honolulu; and member of the Honolulu Flyers Club. He jogged, bicycled, skated, rode horses; flew and was a constant joke teller. He is listed in Men and Women of Hawaii, 1972.

His wife Elaine was a loving, devoted wife and supported him in all his endeavors. She was respected in her own right as a person of graciousness and high ideals, projecting goodness through willing service. She was a conscientious mother of three daughters and one son. She was a good cook, housekeeper, seamstress and a lover of nature and beauty. She liked to read and hike. George and Elaine were very devoted to their three married daughters and their husbands, their grandchildren and their son George Clark Leavitt, named after his grandfather.

Children of George Edward Leavitt and Elaine Brenchley

1. Karlene Joyce Leavitt, born October 1, 1943; married James Ellis, January 22, 1962. Their children: James Patrick Ellis, born July 26, 1967; Jalene Ellis, born August 1, 1969.

2. Carolyn Jean Leavitt, born October 18, 1945; married Robert Cloutier, November 17, 1962. Children: Robert Donald Cloutier, born December 14, 1965; March Allen Cloutier, born September 1972.

3. Jorgene Leavitt, born February 26, 1948; married William D. Jensen, July 13, 1965; children: Jon Christian, born May 31, 1972.

4. George Clark Leavitt, born August 16, 1952.
 
[There are probably other children for these daughters, as the data gathering ended at the time of the publication of the book, referenced below. Follow-up with these families needs to be made. Of course in January 1999 the revised history of Thomas Rowell Leavitt is supposed to come off the press and may contain these additional children and possibly documentation.]