George Sundstrom

A memorial service will celebrate the life of George Sundstrom, 65, of Lawrence, at 11:00, Sunday, February 16, 2014 at KU’s Alderson Auditorium in the Kansas Union.

George was born June 19, 1948, in upstate New York, in the Town of Delaware, the son of Charles and Florence(Vargo) Sundstrom, and died Tuesday, February 11, 2014, in Lawrence. George was a Harvard graduate and worked as an environmental scientist for the U. S. government. He attended Roscoe Central School in NY and then Stonybrook College where he also completed an MA in education.

George spent over 25 years in the environmental field in Massachussetts, California, Maryland, and DC, traveling to most states. He was an active member of Earth Watch and an avid world traveler with Global Volunteers and Adventure Travel and on his own. He travelled to 10 countries in Eastern Europe on his own quite recently. This travel may have led to a fascination with other cultures and love of people from around the world.

George married Christine Jensen Sundstrom on May 20, 2007 in Lawrence, KS where they have resided since that time. To quote George from a recent bio, “Nope, haven’t seen a single tornado in my time in Kansas, only a series of water spouts on the Adriatic near Dubrownik a couple years ago. The high pressure system parked over us for the last couple years hampers tornado formation, a fringe benefit of the current drought.” His friends and family valued his intellectual resources and found his physical activity level daunting, no matter their age and condition.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother. He is survived by Christine, family, and many friends. George’s previous wife, Hang, was his partner for 14 years before she succumbed to breast cancer. George treasured his connections to her family and to his friends on the East and West coasts, as well as locally.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Earth Watch, an organization George travelled with to study and help preserve the plants and animals of the world. These contributions can be made directly or in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.