George Nebeker Hutchings

George Nebeker Hutchings, age 87, passed away July 16, 2021, from TMB at home, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Born Feb. 16, 1934, at home to Eugene Frank & Anna Althea (Betty) Nebeker, Hutchings. He married Myrna L. Dillon on June 7, 1956.  He is survived by his wife, sons Bret Lee (Jeana), Brad Michael (Georgia) Hutchings, daughters Diane (Paul) Smith and Adina Hutchings, along with 11 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, brother James (Penny) Hutchings and sister Darlene (Gary) Odenwalder and several nieces and nephews and friends.
Snow and water skiing, hiking, flying his plane were what he loved doing when not working.  As a boy he had a paper route and this is how he was able to save money for snow skies.  He started skiing at 15 years old and made a “Bucket List” wish of skiing free at Alta when he reached 80, he skied until he was 82 years old.  He and his father built a boat when George was in his teens and while in wood working class at South High, he built a surf board that he was able to put up a water spray up to 8 feet.
George attended McKinley Elementary, Lincoln Jr. High and graduated from South High School in 1953. He played basketball and football while attending South.  His senior year he was selected as an All-State player and received a football scholarship to the University of Utah.  He attended the “U” for a year, then he went into the U.S. Navy full time.
His navy life was one of travel.  Before going into the navy fulltime he was in the Navy Reserves and had been to Mexico and Hawaii.  He was stationed first in San Diego, California, then Norfolk, Virginia.  He served on the aircraft carrier Randolph, which took him to Cuba.  When the ship returned to Norfolk, he was given a two week leave to come home at which time he married Myrna in his brother Bob’s back yard.  Upon returning to the USS Randolph the ship left to go to the Mediterranean Sea, where he visited France, Spain, and Italy.  During the time he was there the Suze crisis broken out and the ship was put on high alute and all the “upper officers” were sending their wives telegrams letting them know that they were okay and not to worry, as George was the one who had to send them, he sent one to his wife.  The ship retuned to Norfolk after months and on the same day, George was assigned to another aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea.  The ship left Norfolk that day for Bremerton, Washington.  While crossing the Equator he had to go through the process of becoming a Shellback.  This ceremony required a person to do several not so fun things, one being crawling through a large long tube with the ship’s garbage in it, kissing King Neptune’s belly spread with mustard and having your face rubbed in it, along with other activities.  He made it through and got his Shellback Certificate.  George does not like any condiment so having to get a face full of mustard was a real “high 5” for him.  The ship continued on down to Brazil then around the tip of South America and up to Chili then on to Washington.  The ship reached Tacoma, Washington in April of 1957, after being parted for 10 months the newlyweds were able to be together again.  They spent six weeks in Bremerton and then were transferred to San Diego, where it all began for George.  While in San Diego, he had to attend a class in which he had to teach the others in the class how to do something they and he had never done before.  His wife taught him how to cut out a skirt pattern.  He got a high grade.  His parents came to visit and while visiting the ocean George stepped on a Stingrays tail and was sick for several days and had a small hole in his foot for years.  He was discharged in November 1957.
Upon returning to Salt Lake, he returned to Carbon Motorway, where he had worked before going full time into the navy.  He then worked for a company that he hauled cattle one way and molasse back.  From that job he went to working for Wasatch Chemical Co. and was pleased he was a part of the building of the Glen Canyon Dam.  He delivered many of the different chemicals that were used and got an up- front view of the building.  He wanted to get a Teamsters job so he went to work for Garret Freight and worked there until a job came up at IML Freight, he worked there until they shut down, going then to Commercial Carriers.  George delivered cars all over the western area until he retired in 1996.  He was not retired for long when he went to work for Million Air as a van driver.  He enjoyed that job, as he met so many people from different places.  He was next offered a job working for Volvo, driving their trucks with experimental engines that needed to be tested at different altitudes.  While working with the different engineers he made life-long friends.  He and Myrna were invited to two Swedish weddings which were great.  They were able to visit Sweden three times.  September 11, 2001, brought that job to an end, the engineers were no longer able to get permits to come into the United States, but George’s friendships with the different engineers did not end.
Once George retired, he went skiing and hiking.  In 2015, he was able to walk his granddaughter, Kasey down the aisle in Hamilton, New Zealand.  Which was the last trip he took out of the country.
He had many good years of retirement, breaking his neck in 2010, while skiing was the start of his health problems.  In 2016, he had his neck operated on, which the doctor told him you will have 3 options with surgery.  You’ll come out fine with some vertebrates fused, come out with your neck fused and not be able to drive, or as a vegetable.  He came out with 3 vertebrates fused and was able to ski, hike & drive.  January 2020, during his yearly physical he was told he had leukemia and needed to go to Huntsman Cancer Center, he did and was put on chemo, which did not work.  The next step was an experimental drug of chemo.  While on it he had to have blood transfusions until the red blood count came up, which it did.  Because of the broken neck & surgery his hands and arms started going numb, he was not happy about that.  Last month at the doctor’s office George told him that he wanted to end taking his medications.  His last chemo pill was taken on Monday July 5, on July 12, took him to the emergency room at St. Mark’s, they found nothing wrong, gave him a shot of morphine for his stomach pain. Tuesday & until Wednesday afternoon he was still able to get up and walk with the walker.  His legs gave out on him in the kitchen with the help of Diane, Adina, Paul & myself we got him back into bed, he did not get out of bed again.  Thursday, Hexter came and bathed, shaved him and put clean clothes on him.  That day he had some of his friends call him, the Social Worker came, his granddaughter Kody visited with him, ate a good dinner and at 10:30 pm he was moaning a bit so Adina gave him some morphine and anxiety medicine, I told him was going to bed and all week at bed time he’d say “Hope I don’t see you in the morning” to which I’d tell him “It’s not up to us”.  At 1:30 am, Adina came and got me out of bed saying “I think Dad has gone”.
For the last year George has wanted to go, as a family we’re glad he got his wish and the he passed away in his sleep.  He is preceded by his parents Betty & Gene, brothers Bud, Bob, John, nephew Ryan, in-laws, and friends.
The family would like to thank, Dr. Stephen D. Wood, Foothill Family Clinic and Dr. Deborah M. Stephens, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Summit Hospice for the care & friendship.
A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday July 28, 2021, at Memorial Mountain View, 3115 East 7800 South, at 6:00 pm.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Utah Food Bank, Huntsman Cancer Institute, or your favorite charity.
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Service Information

Memorial Service
July 28, 2021 at 6:00PM - 8:00PM
Memorial Mountain View Mortuary