George Kitto

With his wife, daughter, two granddaughters and a great-granddaughter at his side, Colonel George Joseph Kitto of Chester, Va. died at his home on Wednesday morning, April 19, 2006. Truly a representative of ?The Greatest Generation,? Colonel Kitto served in six campaigns in World War II in North Africa and Europe, and he was part of major combat operations with the 1st Calvary Division in Korea from 1950 to 1952. His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star with ?V? device, the Purple Heart, the Bolivian Condor of the Andes for officers and numerous other metals and honors. His non-combat tours included being an intelligence office for G-1, Headquarters Alaskan Department, Alaska, operations officer for the U.S. Military District for Missouri-Illinois, military attaché officer for the U.S. Army Mission in Bolivia, member of the faculty for four years at the Command and general Staff College, a G-1 officer during a second tour of duty in Korea with the 1st Calvary Division, commanding officer and senior army adviser, U.S. Army Advisory Group in Indiana, and AC of 5, Personnel post in the 22nd Field Army Support Command at Fort Lee, Va. (his last tour of duty). Colonel Kitto received his initial commission in the Infantry upon completion of ROTC at the University of Missouri in 1933. He is a graduate of the Command and General College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, the Infantry School, the Army Language School and numerous Army school classes of shorter duration. He ended his thirty year career with the U.S. Army in October of 1969 when he received a full honor review at Ft. Lee. Colonel Kitto was a Master Mason for 52 years and a member of The Scottish Rite Bodies. The son of the late Joseph B. and Mary C. Kitto of Joplin, MO, Colonel Kitto attended Westminister College in Fulton, MO before going to the University of Missouri. In 1937 he married Irene McGuire Dempsey of Joplin, MO. She gave him constant and strong support throughout his illustrious military career. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary on September 18, 2005. Colonel Kitto is survived by his wife, Irene D. Kitto of Chester, VA; his daughter, Lee Anne K. Rust and husband Robert of Allentown, PA; his granddaughters, Lisa Kalyn Keele and husband Robert of Clayton, NC and Laura Kathleen Whitaker and husband Mark of Kennesaw, GA; his grandson, Robert N. Rust, IV and wife Elizabeth of Charlotte, NC; three great-grandsons, Robert Tyler Keele, Ryan Sullivan Keele and Connor Christian Keele; one great-granddaughter, McKensie Kalyn Keele all of Clayton, NC. Funeral services will be conducted 4:00 P.M. Saturday, April 22 at the Chesterfield Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Service. Interment with full military honors will be 9:00 A.M. Thursday, June 8 at Arlington National Cemetery. The family requests that any gifts in memory for Colonel Hutto be given to the Salvation Army or Hospice of Virginia.