George A. Hutchinson

The services celebrating the life of George Aaron Hutchinson, Jr, 91 of Enid will be held 10:00 A.M. Saturday July 9, 2016 in the St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church with F. John Toles officiating. Graveside services will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery. Military honors will be conducted by Vance Air Force Base Silver Talons. Services are under the direction of Brown- Cummings Funeral Home.
George A. Hutchinson, Jr. was born in The University Hospital, Enid, OK, on 9/11/1924 to Colonel George A. and Alice Prather Hutchinson and passed away July 5, 2016 in Enid. Except for short periods when he attended school in Washington, DC, Sylvan Shade, KY and Kentucky Military Institute; he went to Enid schools, from the 1st Grade through Enid High School graduating in the Class of 1942. Leon R Vance the Principal of Longfellow and the Father of the Enid boy; for whom Vance Air Force Base is named, taught him to fly. George attended Phillips University, the University of Oklahoma, U. S. M. A., SMU, and North Texas University before, between and after the Wars. World War II would have been a terrible waste; except for the valued friends he made while he was in the Service. He spent 3 1/2 years in the Army; including 12 months in the "Too Far Far East" while serving in the 45th, 33rd, 6th Infantry Divisions and the 1st Cavalry Division. He signed up with the Air Force for the Korean War; served for 3 1/2 years, including 2 1/2 years with the 1503 A. T. Wing, flying casualties out of several different Korean Air Strips to Tokyo for medical care on 78 Medical Evacuation Missions. He flew the most badly wounded Troopers from Tokyo to Honolulu on 24 trips, and occasionally flew the rest of the way across the Pacific Ocean to Travis AFB, CA refueling at several Pacific Islands; going and coming, across the Ocean. He also made several flights the other direction around the World, to Saudi Arabia in support of the Far East Embassies in the countries in route. After winning the Korean War George and Betty Townsend were married in the US Embassy, Tokyo, Japan. They returned to the US, settled in Texas where he was privileged to fly for American Airlines for 31 years; retiring in 1984 as Captain of the Boeing 747, after having flown nearly 10 million miles in over 30,500 hours on 40 different types of aircraft to most of the cities served by American in the U. S., Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, Russia, the Pacific, and he had one hell of a great time doing it. He served as Chairman and/or member of a couple of aviation related committees and he is listed in “Who is Who in Aviation and Aerospace". He was a member of the Allied Pilots Association, ALPA, EAA, AOPA, SCO, NRA, BSA, American Legion, VFW, Cherokee Strip Association, DO's, Phi Gamma Delta, Rotary Club and St Matthews Episcopal Church. Enid was always home, but he lived in Texas for 45 years plus 7 years in the Army and the Air Force before coming back to live in Enid in 1999.
His son David Prather Hutchinson and his parents died before he did. He is survived by his son and daughter in law William T. and Lyn C. Hutchinson of Houston, TX, step children Lynne and her husband It Col. Mark Stewart of Cedar Hill, TX, Stephen and Rocky McKinzie of Santo, TX.
George was cured of cancer in 1999. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Cancer Division research would be more appropriate than flowers.
Condolences may be made online WWW. Brown-Cummings.com

Friends are invited to join the family at 12:00 noon in the Oakwood country Club for a reception directly following the service.