George Leo Moosman

George was born in a farmhouse outside Loa, Utah on September 6, 1941, to Erma Brinkerhoff Moosman and Gerald Preston Moosman. George was the second eldest of 10 children. He had a wonderful upbringing with lots of time spent farming and ranching, riding horses, fishing, and mischief-making with siblings and friends. The family settled in Bicknell, Utah where George attended elementary school and had a paper route that he delivered on horseback.

When George was about 10 years old the family bought a large ranch near Lima, Montana. George, as a young cowboy, thought he had found heaven. The family spent several years farming and ranching, and those years formed some of George’s fondest memories. After they sold the ranch and moved back to southern Utah, George went back to Montana to continue working as a ranch hand for several summers. One year, George purchased a Harley Davidson motorcycle in Montana and rode it all the way back to Utah.

George also lived in St. George, Utah, where he attended high school and helped out in a motel his parents bought. He ultimately quit school and worked several odd jobs which took him to interesting places in Utah, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. During this time, he spent 6 months living on the Navajo Indian Reservation which fostered a lifelong love and appreciation for Navajo jewelry and crafts.

In 1959 he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he served four years. He went through basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi and was stationed in Iceland for a time. He jumped at the chance to take a few weeks of leave and tour around Europe with a fellow GI.

In 1965 he married Madonna Wadsworth of Great Falls, Montana and they moved to Salt Lake City. They settled in Woods Cross and had four children. George enjoyed being a dad and took the kids skiing, fishing, golfing, and on many vacations and visits to family in southern Utah. He was extremely proud of his kids and their spouses – not only their many accomplishments but the good and kind people they became. He enjoyed having his brothers Jerry and Roger nearby as they raised their young families. George and Roger both had their pilots’ licenses and would take the kids flying on Sunday afternoons. George and Madonna later divorced.

Following his time in the U.S. Air Force, George started a long and successful career in banking with a job at Walker Bank in Salt Lake City. He went to night school while working full-time and raising a family and earned a degree in Business Administration and Economics from Westminster College. He completed a graduate degree at the Pacific Coast Banking School at the University of Washington.

Walker Bank became First Interstate Bank and George spent almost three decades working his way up from clerk to Executive Vice President, spending many years as a Senior Trust Officer and Trust Division Manager. He retired as an Executive Vice President managing scores of employees, billions of dollars in assets, and operations in six western states.

After retiring from the bank, George served as President of The ALSAM Foundation from 1995 to 2005, among other roles. The ALSAM Foundation, founded by L.S. “Sam” Skaggs of American Food Stores, Inc. has given hundreds of millions of dollars to education, health research, and catholic schools and charities. George enjoyed his time working for Mr. Skaggs and the Skaggs family immensely and made many friends along the way.

He was a dedicated community member serving on numerous boards over the years including Westminster College Board of Trustees where he helped transform the college’s financial situation, Utah State Retirement Fund Board of Directors, University of Nevada Las Vegas Foundation, University of Utah College of Nursing Citizen Advisory Board, Las Vegas Boys and Girls Club, Primary Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Bonneville Kiwanis Club. He also volunteered with the Civil Air Patrol where he flew search and rescue missions.

George married Leslie Rasmussen of Bountiful, Utah in 1992. They lived in Las Vegas, Boise, and Sandy, Utah and they had many furry friends over the years. George could often be found sharing apple slices and cheese as a late-night snack with one or more of their dogs. George and Leslie traveled to Europe, Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii together and enjoyed many quick trips to Las Vegas for a show and a good meal. George developed close relationships with his father-in-law, Ron Rasmussen, and his niece Kaley Hart – both of whom lived with him for a time. Kaley and her husband Kasey Hart were very dear to George as were their sons Harrison and Emmett George who carries his namesake.

Leslie took patient and loving care of George in his last years as his health was failing.

The family would also like to thank the hospice nurses who showed George so much love and care.

George was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Marilee Marsh, and nephews Scott Peterson, Kevin Whitaker, and Gerald Moosman.