George Coffee

George Coffee, M.D.
1938-2026

George Coffee passed away peacefully on June 12, 2026, at the age of 87.

Born in Montreal, Canada, in 1938, George lived a life shaped by music, mountains, medicine, and an enduring curiosity about the world around him.

George's love of music began at East High School in Denver and remained one of the defining threads of his life. As a young clarinetist, he earned a fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival and recognition from Benny Goodman. He attended Wesleyan University on a wrestling scholarship before continuing his musical studies at Oberlin on a music scholarship. He joined the Boulder Concert Band in 1978 and performed with the ensemble for decades, returning throughout his life and playing with them until just a few months before his death.

A mountaineer through and through, George skied the Haute Route with a French team in the late 1960s and often ventured solo into Colorado's backcountry to refine his steep-piste technique. The mountains were one of the greatest loves of his life, and part of his legacy is the sense of belonging in wild places that he passed on to his daughters and grandsons.

George earned his medical degree from the University of Colorado in 1964, followed by residency and fellowship training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Even as a medical student, he sought opportunities to explore. In 1961, he traveled around the world, including a fellowship in India at the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Madras, where he contributed to research as part of the global campaign to eradicate smallpox. He also served as a medic in the US Air Force Reserves. He went on to practice psychiatry in Boulder.

He was a dedicated member of several book groups and an enthusiastic naturalist whose restless curiosity took him from Papua New Guinea to Utqiagvik, Alaska. Closer to home, he led a group on his assigned tract of Boulder County for the raptor count for more than 30 years.

George was a devoted husband to Linnea "Lee" Coffee, who preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his mother, Ida Coffee; his father, Harry Rusofsky; his adoptive father, Charles Coffee; and his siblings, Thelma, Stewart, and Melvin. He was a proud father to Joyce Coffee (Chuck) and Nancy Coffee (Ross), and grandfather to Andrew Lundgren and Paxton Silver.

Whether discussing literature, identifying a bird, playing a clarinet passage, or sharing a conversation surrounded by newspapers at the breakfast table, George approached life with energy, intellect and wonder. That spirit remains one of the most enduring gifts he leaves to those who loved him.

Memorial Gathering

The memorial will be held in Boulder during the second week of August. Because George's circle of friends extended across so many years and communities, the family would be grateful to hear from anyone who wishes to receive information about the gathering.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Boulder Concert Band.