PORTLAND Long Beach resident George W. Power, 72, died Oct. 25, 2011, in Portland, following a sudden illness. He was born on Sept. 3, 1939, in Florida to William and Agnes (Bowen) Power. He was raised in Florida and joined the U.S. Navy the day he turned 17. He served for 23 years, first as an engineman and later as a deep-sea diver and diving instructor. His service took him all over the Pacific as well as Antarctica and the Aleutian Islands. He was awarded the Bronze Star for service as a salvage diver in Vietnam from 1968-71.

    He met his wife Rose in New Zealand in 1961 and they married the following year. Their daughter Lyla was born in 1964 and their son Val in 1968.

    When he retired from the Navy in 1978 the family moved to Portland. There he worked as a commercial diver on the construction of the     I-205 bridge. In 1986 he and Rose purchased a small farm where they raised llamas for 19 years. He found a rewarding second career in forest security and was proud of his ability to locate people lost in the woods. He enjoyed having friends ride along in the woods with him. A special treat was cutting Christmas trees every December with his grandchildren, Nick and Emily Lisac and Fox Power.

    In 2006 he finally retired for good and he and Rose moved to the Long Beach Peninsula. He became involved in many local activities and especially loved acting and being the sound man for the Peninsula Players. He played his favorite role as a lunatic in The Pink Panther Strikes Again just two weeks before his death.

    Mr. Power was a faithful member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 33 years and helped many people with his guidance.

    As a member of the Peninsula Art Association he sold several of his photographs. He also belonged to the Do Nothing Club, was a lieutenant in the Oysterville Militia, active in the Occident Masonic Lodge, the Ham Radio Club and served as junior warden of St. Peters Episcopal Church in Seaview.

    His five and a half years of retirement were the best he ever had. He loved God, his family, his friends and life. He will truly be missed. In lieu of flowers, he requested donations to the Mission of Seafarers.

    A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m., at St. Peters Episcopal Church in Seaview with a reception following. His guest book is available at www.penttilaschapel.com.