George Cressman

On Thursday, July 6, 2000 our George passed on peacefully of a brain aneurysm at his fish pond. Imagine this: sitting in your wheelbarrow (often used as a chair), listening to the waterfall and the little creek, looking out over the empty pond at the evergreens on a beautful sunny day. This was George's last view of the place he and his wife, Avanelle ''Abbie'', found 46 years ago when they moved out west with their three little boys, Gary, Dennis and Tom. Born January 9, 1909 in Pine Ridge, California, to Ammon and Nellie (Hall) Cressman, George, sat down in his wheel- barrow to rest and died before he even had a chance to get his gloves off.George served in the Navy from 1928 to 1953, achieving the rank of Chief Boiler Technician. On June 17, 1947 he married Avanelle Reitz in Detroit, Michigan. Upon retirement from the Navy, he packed up his family, and moved out west to Bremerton, where he told Abbie, ''find us a place with a lake in the front and a creek in the back''. She found the perfect place, 10 acres on Long Lake in Port Orchard, and there they raised their three boys. George worked hard at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as a Welder, but still found time to teach his boys the sport of baseball, as well as how to be fine young men. He was their Scout Leader and their Little League Coach. In 1972, their backyard became the first South Kitsap Southern Little League field, with George and Gary coaching the first Morrison Gravel team. In 1973, after 20 years, he retired from the shipyard.George was a 50 year member of the Masons and belonged to Fleet Reserve Branch 20. He belonged to the Long Lake Community Club, and was instrumental in the development of Long Lake County park, along with neighbors Al Holmes and Melvin Price. It was a passion of his to see Long Lake cleaned up once and for all.George is survived by his wife, Abbie; sons Gary of Enumclaw, Dennis of Bremerton and Tom of Port Orchard; his youngest brother Allen ''Bill'' of Tollhouse, California; and granddaughters Selena, Lindsay, Emily, Ashley and Sara.His family is George's legacy and we will miss his great sense of humor, guidance, love and devotion to us. He has taught them, by example, all they need to succeed in life.A memorial service was Thursday, July 11, 2000 at Rill Chapel in Port Orchard. Inurnment will be at Sunset Lane in Port Orchard. Memorial donations may be made to Fire district 7, EMS Fund, P.O. Box 1517, Port Orchard, WA 98366.