George McAlpine, 83, a longtime Ephrata resident, passed away suddenly on Dec. 26, 2009 at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee.

George was born Nov. 23, 1926 to George and Irene (Schroeder) McAlpine in Chicago, Ill. George was the eldest of three children.

He graduated from St. Leo High School in Chicago in 1944. After graduating, he worked at the Acme Steel Mill.

He moved to Leavenworth in late 1947. While in the hospital recovering from a work accident, he met his future wife (his nurse), Etta Ewing. They were married in Leavenworth in 1949.

Shortly after the wedding, they moved to Whidbey Island, where their first child was born, Mary, in Everett in 1951. Later in 1951, the family moved to Foley, Ala. where Dan was born. In 1953 they moved back to Leavenworth, where Joey and Terry were born. While there, he worked for the Great Northern Railroad.

In 1955, the family moved back to Whidbey Island, where Dody, Dave, Bob and Tom were born (in an Everett hospital). At this time, he worked as a lineman in power-line construction at multiple locations throughout the state of Washington. He worked for Boeing, then for Puget Power Co. on Whidbey Island. He then went to work at Weyerhauser Saw Mill in Everett.

In l966 he went to work for the Grant County PUD as a lineman, retiring in 1990.

George later met and married Joyce (Sutton) Stanley on Dec. 3, 1994 in Ephrata.

George taught hunter-education classes for 25 years. He enjoyed trap shooting with the Almire Gun Club. George worked with Ephrata Sportsman Association as an early member. Later on he helped to build the Ephrata Range. He was a benefactor for the NRA.

He and Joyce spent a lot of time with their love of bird watching, especially with his favorite pair of binoculars from his favorite chair. He often went hiking, rode bicycles and especially loved his garden full of tomatoes. George had a great love of photography. He also loved trains and taking trips on them.

George is survived by his wife Joyce of Ephrata; his children Dan (Sandy) of Moxee; Terry, of Yakima; Dody of Olympia; Dave, of Everett; Bob of Spokane; Tom (Sylvie), of Everett; his granddaughters Chelsea of Everett; and Jessica of Moxee; his two sisters Dolores Merren of Mobile, Ala.; and Nancy (Richard) Oblak of Fort Walton Beach, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by stepsons Ralph Stanley of Austin, Texas; Knight (Rhonda) Stanley of Northfield, Minn.; Scott (Sherry) Stanley, of Mesa, Ariz.; and Kriss (Karen) Stanley of Albuquerque, N.M.; and many grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Mary (age 4) and son Joey (age 4), his parents, and his wife Etta.

Funeral services were held in January.