George Robert Stover, longtime East Hoquiam resident, passed away on Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Puyallup, Wash. with his family by his side.

George was born May 3, 1948, in Aberdeen, Wash. to Wade Dallas Stover and Frances Maxine Walker Stover.

He graduated from Wishkah School in 1967.

George was a member of the Paiute/Shoshone tribe and spent his youth hunting and fishing in Nevada.

George served in the U.S. Army; he was a member of Charlie Company 1st Infantry Division “The Big Red 1” in Vietnam, 1969 to 1970. He was awarded several medals including the Vietnam campaign and the Bronze Star.

George was interviewed by Newsweek Magazine for the article “What the War did To Us” and later included in the book “Charlie Company.”

George married Shirley Ditton in Reno, Nev.; they later divorced. He later married Sharon Osina in Hoquiam, they later divorced.

He was instrumental in the construction of the East Hoquiam fish hatchery on the East Hoquiam River in the early 1970s.

George worked at the South Aberdeen Weyerhaeuser saw mill as a millwright, for well over 30 years.

George crab fished commercially with his good friend Gary Rushton for many years, and owned and operated the F/V Tonto, a gill net boat, for several years.

George enjoyed hunting and fishing, crabbing and picking chanterelle mushrooms locally as well as fishing in Alaska and several hunting trips to Eastern Washington, and Montana.

He also enjoyed watching football games, and the college basketball playoffs at the Ace of Clubs, Friday lunches with special friends, and afternoons with the crew at the Rabey Truck shop.

George could be very direct at times, you never had to second guess him; he had a great sense of humor, and could .always be counted on for a hug.

Friends and family were most important to George. He was a very generous man, always the first to step up to help someone.

He was a member of the Hoquiam VFW post #7135 and Aberdeen Eagles Aerie 24.

He is survived by daughters, Kasey (Terry) Stover, and Kelly (RD) Stover, and a son Wade Stover all of East Hoquiam; a step-daughter Jackie Petrovich of East Hoquiam and step-son Eric Olson; grandchildren, Samantha Stover of Portland, Ore., Kara Schreck of East Hoquiam, and Levi Braack of East Hoquiam; brothers, Charles Stover of Aberdeen, Francis Clifford Stover of East Hoquiam, and Ernie Stover of Dayton, Nev.; nieces Katy Stover of West Seattle, Tela Scoggin of Reno, Nev., and Michelle Huason of Aberdeen; nephews, Billy (Wendy) Stover, of West Seattle, Tim (Kathy) Carrigan, of Hoquiam, Rob (Martha) Carrigan of Cle Elum, Wash. and, Greg Veach of Santa Maria, Calif. and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and great-nieces and nephews; family friends, Andrew “Odie” Odonell, of Aberdeen, and Ernest Shumate (Carol) of East Hoquiam; longtime partner, Valerie Braack; her children Shasta Braack, of Aberdeen, William (Crystal) Braack of Elma, Henry Braack, Andy Braack of East Hoquiam, and many special and dear friends. He will be greatly missed.

George was preceded in death by his father Wade Stover, mother Frances Stover, and nephew Michael Carrigan.

A celebration of a life well lived will be held Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, at 3 p.m. Hoquiam Elks,624 K Street, Hoquiam Wash.