George Beleiciks Obituary

GEORGE BELEICIKS
May 8, 1938 ˜ June 16, 2025

“Guess who died?” George Beleiciks (87 years) enjoyed reading the obituaries. He found people interesting and loved a good story. His curiosity for the cause of death wasn’t always satisfied though and he wanted you to know that he succumbed to Lewy Body Dementia on June 16, 2025.

“Here’s what happened.” His life adventure began in 1938, born in independent Daugavpils, Latvia to Nikolajs and Irina Beleiciks. The onset of WWII prompted his family’s six-year journey to Seattle, WA. Favorite memories of that time include: not having to take his kindergarten test due to Latvia being re-occupied by the Soviet Union; his mother breaking him out of a hospital because she disapproved of the hygiene standards and playing with discarded ammunition in the displaced persons camp in allied-occupied Geesthacht, Germany, where they lived for five years. Life was hard during those times, make no mistake, yet he never complained about it.

His then single mother brought her three children across the Atlantic Ocean. When America was in his sight, he celebrated by throwing his new winter coat over the edge of the ship. George spent the remainder of the voyage avoiding his mother, but to no avail, as this led to his first motherly discipline in his new homeland.

Life in America began for him at age 12, with the family soon finding a home in the White Center Heights (Seattle) housing projects. His family contributed greatly to the development of the Seattle Latvian Club, where George performed with his mother’s Latvian folk dance troupe. There were plenty of opportunities for adventure with his younger siblings: brother Igor and sister Irene. Favorite childhood memories include a successful mission to rescue a neglected dog chained up in a neighborhood yard. They named him Jinx, and few dogs have had better human best friends.

George worked hard at his Seattle Times paper route and as a gas station attendant in order to contribute to the finances of the household led by his hardworking mother and grandmother. George and his brother assisted their mother in buying their own home, not far from the housing projects. George never boasted about that, or anything else. He graduated from Highline High School in 1958. In addition to earning his Eagle Scout Badge, the Boy Scouts honored him for the number of US Savings Bonds he sold.

After high school, George joined the Washington National Guard along with his brother and close buddies, where he served on an artillery crew at Fort Lewis. He asked the recruiter “Can I ride in a jeep?” The recruiter said yes and the promise was kept. Other interests of youth included ping-pong, fencing, skydiving (for fun, not with The Guard!) and Mary Jo Kuglar. Mary Jo first spotted George at a high school football game. She pointed this cute guy out to her friend, Irene, who laughed and replied, “Oh! That is my brother!” George and Mary Jo married in 1963, raising their family in their White Center home.

George worked for Boeing for 41 years, initially installing fuel tanks in the new 707 jetliner. He later moved to the Boeing printshop and worked alongside his brother-in-law Wally. George specialized in operating the ABDick offset press. It’s said that when George retired at age 62, Boeing also retired his ABDick and the work was outsourced or digitalized. Outside of work he shuttled children, and later grandchildren, to activities, fed and talked to neighborhood crows, kept an eye out for his neighbors, pursued recycling perfection, and enjoyed working in the yard.

Upon retiring, the couple moved to Vancouver, WA to be near their grandchildren and the couple contributed greatly to their health and happiness. George loved attending his grandchildren’s sports competitions and filling in at school parent events. He always provided detailed accounts of these activities.

George is preceded in death by his sister Irene. He is survived by his wife Mary Jo and their three children, Zorina (Rick), Julie (Jon) and Nicholas (Mollie); six grandchildren, Emma (Conner), Woodrow, Theodore, Harvey, Pearl and Opal; one great-granddaughter, Sequoia. His brother Igor, loving nieces, nephews, and in-laws also survive him.

The family is thankful for the loving care provided by the staff of Cogir of Glenwood Memory Care and Eden Hospice. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Irene Olson Memorial Scholarship Fund through Renton Regional Community Foundation.

Thanks for reading his obituary to the end, he would have loved that!
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