More detail on this person: George Rosental
passed away May 9, 2013 folloowing a fall at his
home in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A celebration
of his life is scheduled to be held 1:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 30 at the Black Forest Community
Center in Colorado Springs where George had been
very active. Retired Major General Edward Bracken
will be officiating the memorial service along
with Chaplain James Woodruff.
George was born November 21, 1941 in Latvia to
the late Margarita and Arvid Rozentals. In 1944
while Russia invaded Latvia, his family escaped to
Germany. Their last place of residence before
immigrating to Greensboro, North Carolina in 1949
was the displaced persons camp Valka in
Nurnberg.
George graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill with a
Bachelor's degree in English. He served as Class
President his sophomore year.
He served in the United States Marine Corps from
1964 to 1988. He was designated Naval Aviator in
1966 after U. S. Naval flight training. During a
rescue flight in February 1968 in Lang Vei,
Vietnam, he was severely injured by enemy gunfire.
He was not expected to survive evacuation but
friends say because of his North Carolina
cussedness - he did. George was a true "Marine
Hero", having received the Distinguished Flying
Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Navy
Commendation Medal, National Defense Service
Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze
stars, and Vietnam Campaign Medal with 1960
device.
After a very long rehab, George fought to return
to active duty transitioning from helicopters to
fixed wing aircraft. He retired as Major in 1988.
After retiring, he began a home handyman
business, served as a financial advisor and later
as a consultant on government bids as a technical
writer. He also attended law school.
Survivors include his wife Teresa of Colorado
Springs CO; sister, Linda Gathings and her
husband David of Fayetteville NC; brother, John
Rosental and wife Lynn of Statesville NC; Teresa's
sons, Ed Suever and Mark Suever ; nephews, David
Dufresne, David S. Gathings, Chad Gathings and
JR Rosental and nieces Karen Dufresne, Heather
Gathings Navarro, Carrie and Claire Rosental. He
was predeceased by a sister, Marita Dufresne.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to
Wounded Warrior Project.
Please leave condolences at
www.news-record.com/obituaries
Published in News Record on June 16, 2013
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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