George Harrison Branch
George Branch was born in Garfield Hospital, Washington DC on Dec. 18, 1914 to Vern and Leonora Branch. He grew up in the Detroit area and attended Ruthruff School, 1921-1923, Pattergill School 1923-1928 and graduated from Thomas M. Cooley High School 1932 all in Detroit, Mich. He married his wife of 70 years, Mabel A. Stoddard of Fairgrove, Mich. on Aug. 5, 1938 in Fairgrove, Mich. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan in 1939. During his college enrollment he was assigned as a Junior Officer at a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp at Fort LeRoy, Ill. He was called to Active Duty in the U.S. Army in 1939 as a Second Lieutenant and was assigned as the Michigan State University ROTC Instructor where he was promoted to 1st Lieutenant then Captain. In 1943 he was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga. for Infantry School. He was then assigned to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. as ROTC Training Officer and promoted to the rank of Major. In November 1944 he was temporarily assigned to Fort Douglas, Utah and established a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp. He moved further west when assigned February 1945 as ROTC Commander for the Boise Public School system at Boise High School, in Boise Idaho. In January 1948 he left Boise and was assigned as Security Officer then Provost Marshal for Schofield Barracks, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He transitioned to the U.S. Air Force in September 1948 and was assigned as Provost Marshal and Commanding Officer of the 3201st Air Police Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida in June 1950 and was promoted to the rank of Lt Col. He was then reassigned as Provost Marshal at Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson, Ariz. in August 1953 where he stayed until September 1956 and was again transferred to 7th AF at Hickam Field, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He then spent two years assigned overseas at HQ FEAF Tokyo, Japan, May 1955. He transferred to HQ AMC Wright Patterson AFB, Fairborn, Ohio on July 1957 and was reassigned as Deputy Base Commander, Olmstead AFB, Pennsylvania, February 1960. He retired from the US Air Force June 1961 after serving 23 years and three days. Decorations: American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army Commendation Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award with Four Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters. Upon his retirement from the U.S. Air Force he moved to Boise, Idaho where he taught ROTC at Borah High School from 1962 - 1964. From 1965 - 1968 he was the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Squadron Commander at Borah and Capital High Schools. In 1969 he began teaching Earth Science at Hillside Junior High in Boise and during his summers, obtained his Masters Degree in Geology from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. in 1971. He retired from the Boise Public School System on April 1, 1974. He remained in the Boise area until his death. He enjoyed fishing, playing bridge and model railroads. He had five children, 14 grandchildren and is preceded in death by his eldest son, George H. Branch III (Pam) of Fayetteville, N.Y. and his wife Mable A. Branch of Boise, Idaho and two grand daughters, Crystal Branch and Breanna Branch. He is survived by his children Lora Kiedel (Dan), Pat Wonacott (Garry) and Steven Branch (Diana) all from Boise, Idaho and David Branch (Anita) of Port Orchard, Wash.

Published in Idaho Statesman from April 21 to April 22, 2010