Less than three pounds when he was born to Christian and Margaret Magnusen on December 25, 1918, the lifelong Kodiak resident wasn’t expected to ever celebrate a birthday. For the first several months of his life he lived in a shoebox kept in a warming oven. George grew up to graduate from Kodiak High School, the lone boy in the class of 1938’s four graduates. Here he met and married Pauline, his wife of nearly 62 years.

Before settling into a career of over 35 years of civil service, George skippered boats in the waters around Kodiak Island. This would lead to a World War II-era job with the Army Transport Service’s (ATS) harbor craft division. Work with the ATS included maneuvering through the mind field planted between Marmot Island and Cape Chiniak to deliver military supplies to outposts around the island, and towing a target at 500 feet so the Coast Artillery could take practice several times a week.

After the war George worked as a police officer. He was a patrolman for five months, until November 1944, when he was named Chief of Police. His work as a fire fighter started with volunteering in 1938. Altogether George spent 35 years with the Kodiak Fire Department, more than half of this time was as a volunteer.

In his 22 years as Chief, his focus would be on the community he was charged with protecting. He was heard several times saying “I just can’t sleep when the wind is high and there is a greater danger of fires.” On windy nights he would organize card games with other fire fighters. The purpose wasn’t to have fun but to stay awake. He and the other pinochle players would make frequent rounds through town on foot, making sure the wind hadn’t caused a fire to a business or a home.

By day George concentrated on saving lives and saving money. His goals would be to increase fire awareness via education and to decrease insurance rates of the people he served by improving response times and increasing man power and fire equipment. He helped the Department grow from a volunteer bucket brigade to a crew of 15 full time employees trained as emergency medical technicians with a fleet of 9 vehicles equipped to fight fires and save lives.

George called the men he worked with his “crew” and credited them and the support of the City Fathers with the positive changes that occurred while he worked for the city. George’s coworkers continue to hold him in high regard.

“During his tenure as Chief, he cultivated the community’s awareness of the Department, and of service. People had a lot of respect for him and consequently, for the department,” said retired Fire Chief Mike Dolph, George’s coworker of 14 years and successor. “He was my mentor. More than a Chief, he gave guidance and prepared me for moving up,” Dolph said.

“George had the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. He believed people learned by making mistakes. This made him great to work with. He was a father figure to me for the last 30 years,” said Lieutenant Retired Leo Robichaud.

He will be remembered for his love for and spending time with his wife; love of the sea and of music; for being an excellent ice skater and dancer; and for his love for anything social that yielded an occasion to tell jokes and make those he cared for laugh. Whether among friends assembled around a table for a pinochle game or gathered around a fire with family for a picnic, George was unfailingly seeking opportunities to make people smile.

His family was also referred to lovingly as his “crew.” The father of seven truly enjoyed time shared with all of them together. At every family gathering he would take time to sit back, look affectionately and filled with pride at the crowd and then his wife and say “Look what we started.”

He also had a love for Kodiak and its community. He served on the Senior Center Board, was an Elk, and member of Pioneers of Alaska. His sense of obligation to and responsibility for us all as a former municipal employee meant that until his death he would share fire safety tips with anyone who would listen.

A loving husband, brother, father, brother-in-law, grandfather and great-grandfather, George is preceded in death by his wife, parents, brothers Christian Magnusen, Jr. and Robert Magnusen, and sister Lorraine Rhein. He is survived by daughter June Currah and her husband Ross; son Chris and his wife Marlys; son Charlie and his wife Cathy; daughter Marge Poland and her husband Pat; daughter Janie Chappel and her husband Ernie; son Bob; and daughter Lori McHone and her husband Alan. Nineteen grandchildren, seventeen great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Gloria Carlson, brother-in-law Kenneth Rhein, and numerous nieces and nephews will also miss George.

The memorial service in honor of his life was held at 6:00 p.m. on August 9, at the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church. A funeral service was held at 1:00 p.m. on August 10, at the Russian Church. The repast was held at the Elks Club, immediately following graveside services.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations made to the American Cancer Society, Suite 204, 1057 W. Fireweed Lane, Anchorage, Alaska 99503.

Condolences may be sent to PO Box 516, Kodiak, Alaska 99615.