George Philpott passed away at the age of 87 years 9 months in the early morning hours on May 10, 2015 at the Hampton at Salmon Creek in Vancouver, Washington. Wife Dorothy, daughter Candice Burck, son Paul and his wife Mary were at his side. The second of four children, he was born to Everett N. and Gertrude W. (Simpson) Philpott on August 18, 1927 in Columbus, Montana. There, with his parents and siblings (Joan, Betty, and Robert) he lived gaining a knowledge, and love, for mechanics, the outdoors, and animals. At an early age he could rope and ride a horse, which he used to ride back and forth to school. When he was fifteen, after the death of a close friend, his family moved to Portland, Oregon where he enrolled at Benson Polytechnic High School, and within a short time began working in the Swan Island Shipyards supervising women welders. Before he was 18 years old, George talked his parents into letting him join the Navy during WWII. He served on the USS Miami as a gunner's mate and reached the rank of GM3. In 1948 he returned to Portland where he met his first wife Gladys Beatrice Skjei. He had driven a friend out to a filbert orchard and there was Gladys sitting in one of the trees. On January 16, 1951 George and Gladys were married and took up residence in North Portland near close friends and family where they raised three children Paul Everett, Patrick Edward, and Candice Joy. George accepted employment with logging equipment manufacturer Skookum Co. Inc., in St. Johns where he worked as a highly respected hydraulic mechanic and millwright for 25 years. He traveled the expanse of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska before Skookum's selling and St. Johns closure. After 40 years of marriage Gladys passed away in her sleep. In 1993 he met Dorothy June Williams and they were married for 22 years. George loved people, working with his hands, reading (especially about the old Wild West, politics and historywhich he loved to debate about), working on cars, hunting and fishing, mining, making cinnamon rolls and lefse. He was a 32nd degree mason in the Shriners and a proud member of the American Legion, Boiler Makers Union, Good Sam, VFW and Gold Prospectors Association. He is survived by his wife Dorothy, sons Paul (Mary) and Patrick (Susan), daughter Candice (Doug), step-sons Bruce (Dawn) and Ricky (Mary) Williams and step-daughter Tammy Nelson, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a brother Robert C. Philpott, plus a multitude of family and close friends. Arrangements under the direction of Hustad Funeral Home, Portland, OR. (503) 286-9663 Memorial service will be held at St Johns Christian Church 8044 N Richmond Ave Portland, OR. May 13, 2015 At 2pm