Dayton resident, WWII veteran turns 100 Sunday

World War II veteran and Dayton resident Everette Furr turns 100 Sunday, the celebration might be quiet but time-honored with fond memories of his military and personal achievements.

Bryan Berry, a Carson City resident, 80, considers himself a brother-in-law to Furr.

“He’s a good guy,” Berry said, stating he’s known him since at least the early 1970s when he worked as a foreman in Southern California.

He said Furr has shared a number of stories with him over the years about his experiences in the Navy and his two tours of duty, especially about the day Pearl Harbor was attacked.

“He was born and raised in Texas, and on June 23, 1941, he joined the Navy,” Berry said. “I believe he volunteered. He went to school in Southern California.”

Furr would be assigned to serve on a squadron of PBY sea planes at Kaneohe, a Navy sea plane base, at Oahu in Hawaii. Furr would share with Berry he could still recall after the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, when “the sunken ships were still smoking from the bombing.”

One of Furr’s rescue situations included Brig. Gen. Nathan Farragut Twining in 1943 in the New Hebrides Islands approximately 600 miles away from Espiritu Santo. With Furr as the radio operator, the 13th Air Force commander with 14 of his staff were forced to abandon their plane.

On Sept. 11, 1945, Furr separated from service. He worked several jobs and retired in 1981. He and his wife Jeanette had three children and were married until she died in 2002.

Berry said he loves him like family.

“Even pushing 100, he’s still pretty sharp,” Berry said. “He really has to spend most of his time in bed because he isn’t able to walk around, but he’s still a really good guy and I love him like a brother.”