Edward Sidney Pommerenke went to be

with his Lord on June 5, 2012 at Whidbey General

Hospital, Coupeville at the age of 78. Ed was born in Rochester, Minn., on

Sept. 18, 1933, to Harold and Eleanore Pommerenke. He was raised in Mankato, Minn., where he graduated from high school. He attended Mankato State for a time and then enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1952.

Ed was an Aviation Electrician and one of his first duty stations was Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. He married Verna Wilde in April of 1957 in Northrup, Minn. Ed served at various duty stations including NAS Miramar, San Diego; NAS Chase Field, Beeville, Tex.; Cubi Point in the Philippines and NAS Jacksonville, Fla. His last duty station was NAS Whidbey, where he retired as an AEC in 1975, and chose to remain as part of the Oak Harbor community.

He was a member of Oak Harbor Lutheran Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Fleet Reserve Association Branch 97.

Ed is survived by his wife of 55 years; by two daughters, Kimberly “Kim” Moore and husband Rick of Boise, Idaho, and Kristin “Kris” Saathoff and husband Robert of Philomath, Ore.; one brother, George of Ridgecrest, Calif.; and four grandchildren, Emily and Daniel Moore and Jessica and Mikaila Saathoff.

Memorial services will be held at Oak Harbor Lutheran Church on Sunday, June 24, at 3 p.m. with Pastor Jeff Spencer officiating. Military honors will be provided by NAS Whidbey Island Honor Guard. Private family graveside services will be held at Maple Leaf Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Oak Harbor Lutheran Church or St. Luke’s Humphrey’s Diabetes Center, Boise, ID (www.hdiabetescenter.com). Friends and family are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.wallinfuneralhome.com.