Homer Charles Geibel was born on 30. May. 1918 at Pleasant Lake, Pierce County, North Dakota. He was the son of
Charles Otto Geibel and
Effie Holbrook. Homer Charles Geibel married
Faye (Unknown). Homer Charles Geibel died on 14. Jun. 2004 at Torrance, Los Angeles County, California, at age 86. Homer Charles Geibel Obituary
Homer was born to Charles and Effie Geibel in Pleasant Lake, North Dakota, a small farming community located in North Central North Dakota. Homer was raised in this small community during the 1930s and times were bad due to the depression. Homer's father died when he was just 12, which left him responsible for his Mom, sister, and brother. They had a couple of cows and a large garden to help them through these tough times. Homer helped nearby farmers with their chores in exchange for food and grain for themselves and their cows.
Homer attended elementary and middle school in Pleasant Lake and graduated from nearby Rugby High School in 1936. When he was in high school, he played football, basketball, and baseball. He attended North Dakota State University in Fargo for several years studying agronomy and other agriculture related subjects. He rode the train back and forth between Pleasant Lake and Fargo and earned his board and room in Fargo by peeling potatoes and sleeping in the school's gym. After completing several years of college, Homer moved west to work for Lockheed as an aircraft inspector. But after several years of doing this, Homer decided to realize his boyhood dream of becoming a pilot, so he applied for and was accepted into the Navy's Flight Training program. At the conclusion of this program, he was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy Reserve and was designated a Naval Aviator.
Homer's aviation career lasted for over 30 years, first with the Navy and then with the Federal Aviation Administration. He was primarily a transport pilot for the Navy and an air traffic controller and flight inspection pilot for the FAA. His Navy duties took him to Cuba, Europe, the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and the rest of the United States. His FAA duties took he and his family to Fargo; Sioux Falls; Battle Creek, Michigan; Minneapolis; Frankfurt, Germany; and finally to Los Angeles. During his work in Europe for the FAA, he assisted in assuring the accuracy of the air navigation aids that guided American, British, Canadian, and French aircraft through the three air corridors over Soviet Germany that linked then West Berlin with Western Europe. Homer helped many friends obtain jobs with the FAA. He held both fixed wing and helicopter flying licenses, to include an Air Transport Pilot rating, basic and instrument Certified Flight Instructor ratings, and an air traffic controllers rating. He flew airplanes ranging from the Navy's PBYs to DC-3s, DC-4s, Convair 580s, Cessna's Citation, and Boeing's 707. He also gave flying lessons to his son Jim. Homer had to retire from aviation in 1976 for health reasons, but he continued his interest in the aviation industry for several years by doing some consulting work. Homer retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander and from the FAA as a Supervisory Flight Inspection Pilot.
Homer believed in education and he continued his education in retirement by graduating from El Camino Junior College in Torrance, California in June of 1978 with an Associate of Arts degree. He then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University Dominguez Hills in June of 1982 when he was 64 years-old. Most of the time Homer drove his car between his home in South Torrance and these colleges, but there were several occasions in which he rode his beloved bicycle between his home and these two schools, a distance of at least 10 miles one-way. Homer also encouraged his children to attend and complete college, which they all did. Despite his worldly travels and his love of aviation, Homer never forgot his love of agriculture, horses, trains, and of his family's home in Pleasant Lake. Homer also enjoyed exercising and cross-country driving. Homer was a simple and private, yet proud man. Homer still believed that your word was your bond. Homer is preceded in death by his Dad and Mom, Charles and Effie, and his brother and sister, Eugene and Marion. Homer met his wife Faye through mutual friends and they were married for over 55 years. Homer is survived by his wife Faye; his son Jim; daughters Gina and Katie; and his grandchildren Andrew James, Brandon, Ashley, Raul, and Michael. Homer is also survived by his many friends, friends of his children, sisters-in-law, nieces, sons-in-laws, nephews, and business associates in California, Colorado, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota.
Homer was born in Pleasant Lake, North Dakota on May 30, 1918 and he died in Torrance, California on June 14, 2004, at the age of 86, with his family members at his side, as the result of heart failure. He was laid to rest at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, on June 18, 2004. The Navy remembered Homer by providing an Honor Guard from its Point Mugu Naval Air Station, located near Santa Barbara, California. A Marine Corps trumpeter played "The Navy Hymn" or "Eternal Father, Strong to Save!;" "Taps;" and "Anchors Away." A Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance was held for Homer at the Rivera United Methodist Church, in Redondo Beach, California on June 22, 2004. The Reverend Terry Buschart, officiating. Representing family and friends from Pleasant Lake were Homer's nephew Dale Geibel of Fort Collins, Colorado and Elaine Shapiro of Long Beach, California. The family requests that donations be made in Homer's memory to the American Heart Association. Wheels up, Dad! He was buried at Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County, California.