Lt. Cmdr. Dewey Eugene Babb (U.S. Navy ret.) passed away from natural causes on the morning of Tuesday, September 21, 2010, in San Diego, CA. He touched many lives with his patience, generosity, and humor. He will be fondly remembered for these qualities and many others. Dewey was the man on whom others could rely in time of need and was always ready with a story or piece of useful advice. He could fix anything. He will be greatly missed. Dewey was born on the fifth day of August, 1929 in Asheville, NC to Dewey A. Babb and May McKinney Babb where he lived until moving to Wilmington, NC in 1943. In 1946, Dewey joined the Merchant Marine and soon thereafter the U.S. Navy, where he served until retiring in 1975. During this period he advanced through the ranks from Fireman Second Class to Lieutenant Commander. Lt. Cmdr. Babb served on seven ships, including the USS Nereus (AS-17), USS New Jersey (BB-62), USS Frontier (AD-25), USS Little Rock (CLG-4), USS Guadalupe (AO-32), USS Isle Royale (AD-29) and USS Samuel Gompers (AD-37). His wartime deployments included Korea and Vietnam, during which he was tasked with repairing battle damage to Destroyers in Da Nang Harbor. Interspersed among these assignments were tours on three Pacific Fleet staffs: Commander Cruiser Destroyer Force, Commander Amphibious Force, and Commander Naval Surface Force, where he served as a Type Desk Material Officer for various ship classes including Destroyers, Cruisers, Amphibious and Fleet Command Ships. After retiring from the Navy in 1975, Lt. Cmdr. Babb immediately began work in the private sector. He spent the next twenty-four years as a senior engineer employed by private corporations for which he developed, planned, programmed and executed modernization of and system replacement in Pacific Fleet Amphibious ships. Lt. Cmdr. Babb permanently retired in '99. Dewey is survived by his beloved wife and companion of 26 years, Ifigenia Phillippidou Babb and three children: Linda Lovejoy, Robert Babb, Sarah Babb; a stepson, Peter Jana; brother Allen Babb; sister Gayle Babb; seven grandchildren and many great-grandchildren. A memorial followed by reception will be held at One Heart-One Mind Center for Spiritual Living, San Diego, CA on October 17th at 11:00 a.m. A military funeral followed by reception will be held at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, CA on November 19th at noon. He was a real shipmate. Sailor, rest your oars.

Published in San Diego Union-Tribune on October 3, 2010