George P. Nitzberg

George P. Nitzberg - A robust man with an unwavering will, a rancher and decorated war hero, a father and friend, George Philip Nitzberg, 86, died in his sleep on March 12, 2010 while under the watchful care of loving staff at Brighton Gardens, in Santa Rosa, California. He is survived by his son, Ken Nitzberg and daughter-in-law Joanne, of Piedmont, CA; his son Barry Nitzberg, of Santa Rosa, CA; his grandchildren Jennifer, Katie and Leo; and his companion of many years, Dorothy Langer, of Walnut Creek, CA. Exhibiting the same commitment to a cause as did his father, George then joined the Army Air Corp. While a Staff Sergeant and B17 Ball Gunner, flying his eighth mission out of London over Germany, George was shot down. Parachuting behind enemy lines, he was held as a prisoner of war for nine months, until liberation by Allied forces at warâ??s end. After the war, George and Gladys (twice selected Sonoma County Woman of the Year and a correspondent for The Press Democrat) raised their sons, Ken and Barry, on their ranch in Penngrove, where the Nitzbergs tirelessly continued the family tradition of chicken ranching, while George also held a job in the feed mills. When the large factory farms from the South invaded the Petaluma markets, George became a member of U.A. Local 38 of San Francisco, working as a plumber until his retirement in 1985. After losing his wife to illness in 1985, George devoted himself to volunteer work for Hospice of Petaluma, also working to establish and maintain the Sack's Hospice of Petaluma Thrift Store. Family photos show George smiling broadly while easily hoisting large pieces of donated furniture too heavy for most men, even working in pairs. A complex, hardworking man without pretense, and a man of fewâ??but well-chosenâ?? words, George displayed a wry humor that reflected an appreciation of the circumstances of his own life and the human condition, generally. Unwavering in his loyalty to family, friends and community, George also delighted in the fond and constant company of his boxer dogs and enjoyed traveling often to Yosemite with his family, listening to folk and classical music (especially Pete Seeger and Beethoven), performing physical work that tested his strength and stamina, and keeping informed about the events of the day, whether local, national or global. He relished a good laugh in the company of loved ones, a round of golf, a hearty meal and as much time in nature as he could seize, whether in his remarkable vegetable garden or beyond. A Graveside service will be held on Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at B'nai Israel Cemetery, 430 Magnolia Ave., Petaluma, CA. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Petaluma, 416 Payran St., Petaluma, CA 94952. Born April 11, 1923, in Calgary, Canada, George was raised in Petaluma, California, by his parents, the late Millie and Sol Nitzberg. Sol immigrated to the United States after his imprisonment in Siberia for fighting the Russian pogroms, traveling cross-county largely by foot, to join the burgeoning Jewish community of Petaluma chicken ranchers. The history of this community is chronicled in the documentary film, â??A Home on the Range: The Jewish Chicken Ranchers of Petaluma, California,â?