Obituary

Memorial services for Ivan Gerteis "G" Wimp, 81, former Plainview resident, will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, 2011, at Clark Mansion, 2112 W. Lake Drive in Taylor. Cremation arrangements are by Heart of Texas Crematorium in Austin. Mr. Wimp died Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011, at his residence after a three-year battle with chronic leukemia. He was born Feb. 5, 1930, in Wichita, Kan., the son of Ivan Ernest and Margaret Gerteis Wimp. He grew up on the family farm in Swisher County in the Whitfield community and attended Price country school. He moved to Plainview in 1945 where he attended high school and had a paper route for the Plainview Daily Herald. He began his love of flying by building model airplanes at J.B. Oberthier's Hobby Shop. He graduated from Kemper Military School in Booneville, Mo., and served two years in the U.S. Army. He attended college in California and later rode his Vincent motorcycle back to Texas and began farming. He started building a Midget Mustang airplane while on the farm and completed it about 30 years later after moving to Conroe. He loved working with his hands and could repair almost anything mechanical as well as wiring and woodwork. He worked as a mechanic for Stovall Yamaha in Lubbock and Miller Flying Service, and was a tractor mechanic for Ray Lee John Deere before moving to Conroe. He received an associate degree in aeronautical engineering and refrigeration and worked as a mechanic for Avis Rental at Houston International Airport where he was head mechanic for the bus department. After retiring he obtained his private pilot license and his A&E. He continued his love of flying his airplanes, especially his Taylorcraft, which he often flew to Plain?view to visit his sister. He married Barbara Sue Hamm on Aug. 11, 1961, in Plainview. They moved to Conroe in 1979 and to Taylor in 2006. He was a member and deacon of Claytonville Baptist Church and was a member and past president of the Conroe Experimental Aircraft Association. Survivors include his wife, Sue; a son Jeffrey Gerteis and his wife Michelle Wimp of Kingwood; a daughter, Gretchen Arquette of Taylor; two sisters, Charlotte Wimp Thurman of Plainview and Marguerite Wimp Richmond and husband Charlie of Gig Harbor, Wash.; and three grandsons, Jeffrey Allen Wimp, Cordell Wimp and Devon Arquette. Other Plainview survivors include a niece and her husband, Carla and Doug Edwards, and a nephew and wife, Don and Cynthia Thurman, and grandniece and grandnephew, Kimber Edwards and Ryan Edwards. Condolences may be sent to Sue Wimp, 2308 Cherrywood Dr., Taylor, TX 76574, or by e-mail to [email protected].