George P Majeska

George Patrick Majeska, beloved father and grandfather, died at age 85 of complications from vocal cord cancer in Pompano Beach, Florida on Friday, October 29th, 2021. His quick wit, warm heart and intellectual curiosity will be missed tremendously.

George was born in Brooklyn, NY, on April 28th, 1936, to John “Jack” Majeska and Marguerite Fagan Majeska, a first generation American from Lithuania and fourth generation Brooklynite. He grew up in the Flatbush neighborhood but was selected to attend Regis High School in Manhattan, where he studied Latin, Greek and French, developing an early respect for the classics. George then studied Russian Orthodox Theology at St. Tikhon’s and at St. Sergius in Paris before returning to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Russian literature from Brooklyn College.

Having earned Woodrow Wilson and Ford Foundation fellowships, George received his PhD in History from Indiana University. While in Bloomington, George met and married the love of his life, fellow graduate student Marilyn Lundell Majeska, with whom he celebrated 53 happy years of marriage.

After an academic year in Leningrad, George enjoyed his first of several fellowships at the Dumbarton Oaks Byzantine Research Center in Washington, where he developed lifelong friendships, colleagues and research interests. George then took his first teaching job at the State University of New York, Buffalo. In 1972, George and Marilyn moved to University Park, Maryland and George joined the University of Maryland - College Park faculty, where he was a professor of Russian and Byzantine History for 28 years, mentored many undergraduate and graduate students and published a highly acclaimed book and many articles in his field. He was president of the US National Committee for Byzantine Studies and an officer of the Early Slavic Studies Association. George also became a Fulbright Scholar and was delighted to take his young family to Munich, Germany for a year to live and explore Europe.

Throughout his entire life, George was curious and eager for knowledge, loved to travel and could be counted on to know a little something about almost any topic, particularly in the humanities or world history. He was passionate about classical music, closely followed national politics and loved hiking. George spoke fluent French and Russian, some German, Greek and Italian, and was teaching himself Spanish until just a few weeks before his death.

George was extremely proud of his two children and four grandchildren. He is survived by his daughters, Tanya Springer of Pompano Beach and Kristin Majeska of Portland, Maine, by his grandchildren, Alex Millones, Thomas Springer, Nicolas Millones and Amanda Springer and by his son-in-law, Luis Millones. He is predeceased by his wife Marilyn, his brother, Bruce Majeska, and his son-in-law, John Springer.

A Celebration of Life at Sea Watch on Ocean, 6002 N Ocean Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL, on Sunday, Nov 14, 2021 at 11:30 am.