Obituary for George A Rief
George Anthony Rief, 82, of Durham passed away peacefully on December 13th, 2023 surrounded by family in the home he designed and loved. Born in Oceanside, NY to Margaret (Kiefer) and Anton Rief, he grew up in Middletown, NY.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda, their two cherished sons, Bryan (Laura) and Craig (Jennifer), four adored grandchildren, Julia, Fiona, Hunter and Harrison, his sister Margaret Nesteruk (Harry), and numerous nieces and nephews.
After attending the University of Miami in Florida, he joined the U.S. Navy Submarine Service, graduating from their Nuclear Power School in 1963, and serving until 1968 on the nuclear submarine USS Seawolf (SSN -575). George subsequently received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of New Hampshire in 1970, and did post-graduate study in Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University
He joined Camp, Dresser & McKee, consulting engineers in Boston, where his expertise extended over forty years in progressively responsible engineering and managerial positions in design and construction of environmental projects, including water and wastewater treatment. He joined the CDM International Division, providing technical support on water and wastewater projects in Singapore, India, and Egypt. He was the senior engineer assigned to a water supply project from 1975 to 1978 in Manila, Philippines, after the development, planning and construction of wastewater and treatment facilities in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 1972 through 1973. In 1988, he formed Rivers Engineering with a partner in Manchester, where he finished his career.
Beyond his professional achievements George was a man of diverse interests and hobbies. He loved good food and cooking, had a deep affection for Dobermans, and enjoyed hunting in Colorado and Montana. He loved planes and cars, earning his private pilot’s license at sixteen. He became a driving instructor for Porsche Club of America, teaching at various racetracks, including Watkins Glen, Calabogie, Loudon, and Mont-Tremblant. Engineering was a passion, but he loved spending time with his sons, Bryan and Craig, taking them to driving events through the Porsche Club of NH, and later visiting them in their homes in Michigan and Montana.
George generously shared his wealth of knowledge and skills, volunteering and contributing his time and efforts to various community projects by serving on the Durham Town Council for several years, the Planning Board and the Economic Development Committee, and as an active member of Rotary. Additionally, he dedicated himself to serving the community by cooking gourmet suppers for UNH students with other parish families for many Sunday evenings at St. Thomas Moore Church.
George will forever remain in our hearts as a good man, who was kind, compassionate, and generous to family, friends, and neighbors. He was razor-sharp intellectually, loved deeply, and already missed so much.
A Memorial Service to celebrate George's life will be held at Purdy Funeral Home in Lee, NH on December 27, 2023; Visitation will be from 1-3 pm with Words of Remembrance to follow at 3 pm and Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Doberman Rescue Unlimited in Sandown, NH or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in honor of George's memory.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Linda, their two cherished sons, Bryan (Laura) and Craig (Jennifer), four adored grandchildren, Julia, Fiona, Hunter and Harrison, his sister Margaret Nesteruk (Harry), and numerous nieces and nephews.
After attending the University of Miami in Florida, he joined the U.S. Navy Submarine Service, graduating from their Nuclear Power School in 1963, and serving until 1968 on the nuclear submarine USS Seawolf (SSN -575). George subsequently received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of New Hampshire in 1970, and did post-graduate study in Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University
He joined Camp, Dresser & McKee, consulting engineers in Boston, where his expertise extended over forty years in progressively responsible engineering and managerial positions in design and construction of environmental projects, including water and wastewater treatment. He joined the CDM International Division, providing technical support on water and wastewater projects in Singapore, India, and Egypt. He was the senior engineer assigned to a water supply project from 1975 to 1978 in Manila, Philippines, after the development, planning and construction of wastewater and treatment facilities in Sao Paulo, Brazil from 1972 through 1973. In 1988, he formed Rivers Engineering with a partner in Manchester, where he finished his career.
Beyond his professional achievements George was a man of diverse interests and hobbies. He loved good food and cooking, had a deep affection for Dobermans, and enjoyed hunting in Colorado and Montana. He loved planes and cars, earning his private pilot’s license at sixteen. He became a driving instructor for Porsche Club of America, teaching at various racetracks, including Watkins Glen, Calabogie, Loudon, and Mont-Tremblant. Engineering was a passion, but he loved spending time with his sons, Bryan and Craig, taking them to driving events through the Porsche Club of NH, and later visiting them in their homes in Michigan and Montana.
George generously shared his wealth of knowledge and skills, volunteering and contributing his time and efforts to various community projects by serving on the Durham Town Council for several years, the Planning Board and the Economic Development Committee, and as an active member of Rotary. Additionally, he dedicated himself to serving the community by cooking gourmet suppers for UNH students with other parish families for many Sunday evenings at St. Thomas Moore Church.
George will forever remain in our hearts as a good man, who was kind, compassionate, and generous to family, friends, and neighbors. He was razor-sharp intellectually, loved deeply, and already missed so much.
A Memorial Service to celebrate George's life will be held at Purdy Funeral Home in Lee, NH on December 27, 2023; Visitation will be from 1-3 pm with Words of Remembrance to follow at 3 pm and Military Honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Doberman Rescue Unlimited in Sandown, NH or The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in honor of George's memory.