George Henry Reifenstein Jr

1950 - 2023

George H. Reifenstein, Jr.

George Henry Reifenstein, Jr., passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, December 16, 2023, almost four years since his cancer diagnosis. He was surrounded by his loving family as he left for his next great adventure. The night before he passed, he and his family shared memories, stories, laughter and music. He fell asleep on his last night with a smile on his face, at peace and ready to go.

George was born at Sloan Hospital in NYC on January 9, 1950 and adopted from the Children's Aid Society by George Henry Reifenstein, Sr., and Dorothy Van Buskirk Reifenstein. He was the youngest of four siblings (Nancy, Peter, and Mary), all of whom were adopted. George grew up in Oakland, CA, and Bethesda, MD.

Arriving in Juneau in 1969, George spent summers working on the Alaska ferries while pursuing a degree in Political Science from Syracuse University. During his junior year he met the love of his life, Debbie Jones. After graduating in the spring of 1972, he and Deb started their adventure by exchanging vows on June 10th in Rome, NY, followed by a cross-country roadtrip honeymoon in their VW bus. The road trip transitioned to a ferry trip aboard the Wickersham, which they took to Juneau and where they later settled in a log cabin near the shores of Auke Lake. Last June, he and Deb celebrated their 51st year of marriage.

Daughters Ami and Heidi were born in 1975 and 1977; George delighted in spending time at their preschools and taking them skiing. George's dream of trekking in Nepal with Deb, Ami and Heidi came to fruition in 1985, followed by three weeks in Thailand. The Thailand visit eventually led to the adoption of their son, Peter Jarkapol, age 8, from a Bangkok orphanage in 1987.

George spent most of his working career with the Alaska Marine Highway System (28 yrs) and Goldbelt, Inc. (14 yrs) where he eventually became General Manager at the Mount Roberts Tramway. A recipient of Juneau Chamber of Commerce's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, he was also a Boy Scout leader, served on the boards of the Southeast and Great Alaska Councils, KTOO Public Media, KTOO Legacy Foundation, and Healing Hand Foundation. His commitment to helping others was further reflected by his nearly 50 years as a volunteer and first responder with Capital City Fire/Rescue, including several years as Chief of the Auke Bay Fire Station. He was also captain of Special Teams (rope, water, and ice rescue) and delighted in sharing with others knowledge of knots and rope safety maneuvers. The Juneau Community Foundation celebrated George with a Founders' Award in early December, 2023, something bestowed on only three others in its history.

The breadth of George's philanthropy was remarkable, but even more striking was the depth of his care for others. This sentiment was beautifully exemplified in his adoption by Ray Wilson into the Sitka Kiks.ádi clan. His Tlingit name is Shaayeegán; he is a Kiks.adi of the Gagaan Hit (Sun House). Near the end of his life, George reflected that some of his most fulfilling moments were times when he was able to help others.

George had an incredible memory and infinite curiosity. He cherished family and loved to cook. While holidays included huge family dinners, he adored cooking nightly gourmet meals for Deb, shared over candlelight and spiced with gratitude and good conversation. He had a remarkable knowledge of Juneau's history and people. His passion to learn started young, reflected by his earning status of Eagle Scout in his youth. While in Juneau, he volunteered with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game working on deer habitat and brown bear studies in the Tongass National Forest. He enjoyed hunting, shrimping, skiing, biking, and traveling the world with Deb and friends. He loved to spend time on boats exploring with friends and family on land and water. He was a huge supporter of the arts in Juneau and an active member of K_une´ix_ Hi´di Northern Light United Church.

He is survived by his wife, Debbie; his three children, Ami (Scott Gende), Heidi (Wayne Leighty), and Peter (Heather Gulley); his five grandchildren, Taylor, Gavin, Tatum, Felix, and Ilyana; his niece Debbie (Michael) Hutcherson; and his affectionate Australian doodle, Yankee; as well as many cherished friends and extended family from around the world. He follows his parents, stepmother Patricia Reifenstein, and three older siblings (Nancy Porto, Peter, and Mary) in passing.

A celebration of life will be held on March 9 at Centennial Hall, with the service starting at 3pm, followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Juneau Community Foundation (juneaucf.org/fund/george-reifenstein-memorial-fund), the Healing Hand Foundation (hhf-ak.org), the KTOO Legacy Foundation (ktoo.org/legacy-foundation), or the Juneau Special Teams arm of the Alaska State Firefighters Association (ASFA-Juneau Special Teams, POB 35462, Juneau, AK 99803)