George E. Denton

George Edward Denton, 89, passed away Sept. 17, 2007, in Rancho Bernardo, Calif.

He was born Oct. 27, 1918, in Flora, Indiana, to William H. and Pearl Mentor Denton. On April 18, 1937, in Nappanee, Indiana, he married Esther Van Sickle, who survives. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

He graduated from Flora High School in 1936. After graduation, he worked as a tool designer for the Bendix Westinghouse Company in South Bend. He then worked as a machinist at the Rock Island Arsenal during World War II and served in the U.S. Army Air Force.

After the war, Mr. Denton worked for 23 years at the Ford Motor Company, achieving the position of Manufacturing Engineering Manager for Ford of Europe. He then joined Rockwell International as President of Golde GmbH in Frankfurt, West Germany.

Before his retirement, he was President of Arrow Development for Rio Grande Industries in Mountain View, Calif. Arrow Development designed and built roller coasters for the Six Flags Amusement Parks of America, and also for parks in Europe and Australia.

Surviving with his wife are four children, David Van Denton (wife: Janet) of Hong Kong, William Richard Denton (wife: Linda) of Sunnyvale, Calif., Deanna McHose of Escondido, Calif., and Mary Ellen Roderick (husband: Steve) of Boca Raton, Fla.; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Cremation burial with military honors was in the Fort Rosecrans Military Cemetery in San Diego, Calif.