George Roussos
Obituaries
Long-time Eagle County Engineer George Roussos died in Florida Wednesday after a long battle with cancer. He was 57.
“George really was a pioneer and a true visionary in the field of public works,” said Helen Migchelbrink, Eagle County engineer. “He always saw the big picture and was instrumental in so many projects that have benefited Eagle County.”
Roussos was born May 31, 1947, growing up on New York’s Upper West Side. He left the city at age 17 to study engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
With Vietnam heating up, the 22-year-old Roussos joined the Navy. He spent 20 years in the Navy’s Civil Engineer Corps, serving in assignments across the globe and rising to the rank of commander.
His time in the military included a three-year stint with the State Department. During that period Roussos directed a naval unit responsible for doing construction work in sensitive areas of American embassies worldwide.
After leaving the Navy – 1968 to 1989 – Roussos pursued a doctorate in water resources engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Although the degree had not been awarded, Roussos received a master’s degree from the University of Colorado.
Roussos came to Eagle County to become its engineer in 1995. Some of his family had moved to the area from Tampa in the early 1980s to work in the oil business.
“He pursued the State funding and the ultimate construction of the Eagle Vail half diamond interchange,” Migchelbrink said. “He worked to get the Eagle County Airport I-70 interchange project through the reams of paperwork and to become a reality in the next few years.”
Roussos was chairman of the multigovernmental agency that brought the 33-mile rail corridor project linking Glenwood Springs with Aspen into public ownership and planned its various transportation and recreational uses.
“He worked arduously to purchase the Rio Grand railroad corridor in the Roaring Fork Valley,” Migchelbrink said. “Though many accused George of being a paperwork fanatic, it was his writing skills and keen attention to detail that always placed Eagle County at the head of the pack.”
Roussos held a host of engineering posts in the private sector before arriving in Eagle County. He had been the assistant county administrator since August 1999.
He leave behind his wife of 18 years, Betty and their two children, James, 17, and Eleni, 16.
The funeral services for George are as follows:
Visitation at Pinecrest Funeral Home, 150110 Cortez Blvd.
2 – 4 p.m. and 6 – 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 29
Prayer Service at Pinecrest Funeral Home
7 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 29
Funeral Service at Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Church
10 a.m. Monday, March 1st
13460 Olympic Village Lane
Directions: Turn north on Sunshine Grove Road and continue past Hexam. Olympic Village Lane is the second road on the right after Hexam Road. After turning right onto Olympic Village Lane, follow the signs to the church
Vail Daily - February 28, 2004
