George Rienstra

George Rienstra passed away November 9, 2017, after a short illness.

George, son of Otto and Janet Rienstra; brother to Frank, John, and Sylvia; preceded in death by first wife Corrine; is survived by second wife Linda.  He was a proud father to Vicki, Cathy, David, Michael, Karen, Shannon, and Tricia; had 10 grandchildren; and 3 great grandchildren.

He was born and raised in southern California. Following graduation, he served 24 years in the United States Air Force followed by 22 years of Civilian Service at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Although he seemed quiet and reserved, George loved people, especially children.

Weekends could be spent camping with family and friends comparing who had the latest outdoor technology.  One of his pleasures was finding a new mexican restaurant.  Cruises were planned years in advance from the extremes of Alaska, to Central America sailing through the Panama Canal.  Always ready to save a dime, he traveled via military cargo planes around the world including most of Europe and Asia, United Kingdom where he kissed the Blarney Stone, Greenland and Iceland. When it was time to get behind the wheel, his passion for travel covered all 50 States.  

Downtime was reading and watching old westerns, anything with his idol John Wayne was a plus in his book. Or you could find him bluffing his way through a poker hand in his Hawaiian shirts, jeans, and velcro tennis shoes. A close second would be sitting for hours on the computer, or completing 1000+ piece puzzles,  while listening to Scottish bagpipes.

George loved his quiet time, but his passion for family and discovering what the world had to offer kept him busy.  He will be greatly missed.

Visitation is at Donaldson Funeral Home in Laurel, Maryland, on November 18, 2017, from 2 to 4:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society.

Interment date and service at Arlington National Cemetery have yet to be determined. 

 Service Information