Obituary of George Leighton

CARVER, Mass. – The amazing life of George Leighton came to a peaceful end Nov. 4 at Life Care of Plymouth.

George, who was 83 years old (just shy of his 84th birthday on Nov. 7), was surrounded by his loving family.

He was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts, the son of LaForest and Ramona (Hincks) Leighton. The oldest of five children, George grew up in Falmouth, Maine, where he attended high school. After he graduated from high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force, where he obtained valuable skills that would pave the way to his career as a Measurements Engineer.

His first job was at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in Hartford, Conn. and it was during this period he met his future wife, Johanna, when his roommate invited him to attend a polka dance at Forest Lake in Palmer, Massachusetts. His roommate was a classmate of Johanna’s and suggested she teach George how to polka. George embraced polka dancing and he and the future Mrs. Leighton would follow polka bands all over New England with a group of likewise enthusiastic friends.

George and Johanna married in 1968 and eventually moved to Carver where they raised two sons.

George went on to work in the engineering department of a Waltham company. When a former colleague secured a job at the former Brewer Engineering Company (now Teledyne) in Marion, Massachusetts, he soon after recruited George to join him. “We need you in the lab, George!” he said and George ended up spending the rest of his working life as an engineer for Brewer, retiring in 2001. His invention of a ”Device with Strain Gaged Threaded Portion” was granted a patent in 1991. He traveled throughout the varies states along with Finland, Brazil, China and Europe on behalf of the company and wrote stories based on his travels that he shared with his Mom and she in turn shared with her friends.

George was a man of many talents and interests. He was an expert skier into his late 70s on the slopes at Sugarloaf Mountain in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. He built a rustic chalet along with his family, from his own blueprints, in Kingfield Maine, which served as a getaway for winter ski trips and autumn deer hunting. He taught himself how to play the banjo and many an evening at the Leighton “Chalet” ended with music, spirited singing and often some entertaining stories from George. 

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Johanna (Dumas) Leighton; two sons, Zachary of Carver and Asa of Newburyport; two grandchildren, Brynn and Michael Leighton; two brothers, Jeffrey and  Nicholas, both of Maine; and two sisters, Ramona Tupper of Westbrook, Maine, and Lydia Englebert of Lisbon Falls, Maine; and many nieces and nephews.

A graveside service will be held Nov.18th at 11 am. at Central Cemetery in Carver, followed by a Celebration of Life 12:30 pm. at the Fireside Grille in Middleboro.

Shepherd Funeral Home in Carver is in charge ofarrangements.