George G. Flaig "Opa"

George Glenn Flaig, passed away at his home attended by family and friends. He died of natural causes. “Opa” was deeply concerned about children learning mathematics and so assisted with math education and the Homework Club at the local elementary school and later at Timberline K-8 for many years. George was a member of the Sunrise Lion’s Club that initiated the Sun Rise Stampede and helped out at many health fairs. At Christmas time he rang the bell for the Salvation Army. He also was an election judge for Boulder County, last volunteering for the 2016 election.

George was born in Peru, Illinois in 1926 to Henry Flaig and Mary Klein Flaig Smith. He graduated from LaSalle-Peru High School (Old LP). He entered the US Navy following graduation and served during the latter part of WWII in the Pacific aboard a YMS(wooden hulled mine sweeper) as Chief Electrician’s Mate.

After the war George attended the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and graduated with a Degree in Electrical Engineering. Following graduation, he married Janie Gress. They moved to Jackson, Michigan where George was employed by Commonwealth Associates-Consulting Engineers, and they began to raise their five children. He also became a member of IEEE. In the early 1960’s the family moved to Southern California where George worked on electrical systems for the Atlas rocket. They lived in Escondido, California until they returned to Michigan and George again worked for Commonwealth/Gilbert and Associates managing substation design work.

George and Janie and family enjoyed many tent camping vacations all over the 48 contiguous states and much of Canada and decided that they really liked the Rocky Mountain area best. George took a substation management position with Tri-State Generation and Transmission, based in Thornton, Colorado. They settled in Longmont in 1982 because everyone there is so pleasant and friendly and upon discovering a really good pork tenderloin sandwich at a restaurant on Main Street. When George retired, he and Janie traveled extensively in their rig, beginning with Alaska, and took trips to Europe, Hawaii and New Zealand. They so enjoyed traveling with and to see their grandchildren in their rig! When they were not traveling they enjoyed following the grandchildren growing up. Following Janie’s passing George mostly traveled by air to visit family and attend family celebrations.

When at home George enjoyed working in his yard, working out three times a week at the Longmont Athletic Club, and in later years he also became quite a cook. His ear doctor’s staff recalls him finding recipes from magazines in the waiting room and taking them home to try out. His favorite dish was stuffed roasted Cornish hens. George was preceded in death by his Janie, beloved wife of nearly 60 years, by two brothers, and his parents, and is survived by his brother Roger of Peru, Illinois, daughters Janell M. Flaig, Longmont, Kathy (Jim) Wulf, Missouri, sons Eric G. (Beatrice), Florida, Kurt F. (Edie), Virginia, Kris W., California, and five very loved grandchildren-Nicole, Gregory, Ashley, Rebecca, and Sarah, and two greatly enjoyed great-grandchildren Savannah and Westyn. No memorial service is scheduled at this time due to COVID issues. Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to the OUR Center and the Sunrise Lion’s Organization.