Horace B. Getman, age 83, passed away in Thousand Oaks with his family by his side on Monday, April 5, 2010. He had been ill for one month.

Born March 14, 1927 in Oneonta, N.Y., he lived in Ventura County for 41 years moving here from Hagerstown, Md. Hork earned his degree from MIT, also serving during WWII in the Navy aboard the USS Pelias.

He chose a career as an aeronautical engineer and worked at Fairchild Aircraft Company in Hagerstown, Md. One of his greatest thrills was to travel to crash sites and determine what had made a plane crash; this work took him all around the world. In 1969 he wanted to settle down with his family in Thousand Oaks. His job duties changed to determining stress in different aircraft. He also had been a consultant for the Saint Louis Arch determining the wind stress that the arch could handle.

He retired in 1989 from Lockheed in Burbank where he worked for 22 years. He enjoyed retirement and traveling with Joanne, his wife. He was a head usher at Emmanuel Presbyterian Church and loved volunteering with Shop Ahoy. He was a member of the Ventura Shipbuilders Museum. Hork enjoyed building model ships from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. He often showed them at Stage Coach Museum.

He is survived by his wife and friend, Joanne, of 61 years; son, Donald B. Getman (wife Lisa Pendleton); daughter, Nancy L. Rogers (husband Steven); youngest son, Michael D. Getman.

He was very proud of and loved dearly his grandchildren, Dana Getman, Daryl Getman, Ben Rogers, Andy Rogers, and his extended family, Marshall and Karen Mathison, along with their three children, Kendra, Tyler and Adam.

A private celebration of life will be held at his home with Pastor Stuart Bond officiating. In lieu of flowers donations for Emmanuel Presbyterian Church would be welcomed. Arrangements made with the assistance of Griffin Family Funeral Chapels, Thousand Oaks; 230-2800.