George J Esser

George Joseph Esser, Jr. died peacefully surrounded by family on July 25, 2024, in Naples, Florida, after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne (Sandy) Esser, his daughters, Hope and her partner Andy, Meredith and her husband Jordan, and his beloved dog, Fritz. George was born in Clifton, NJ, on January 26, 1944. As an adolescent he discovered ham radio, and his lifelong interest in tinkering with electronics. He graduated from Villanova University as an electrical engineer, and, after working at IBM designing computer test equipment, completed Navy Officer Candidate School and was deployed to the 74th Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (the SeaBees) in Vietnam where his company supported the marines outside of DaNang. Following his military service, George graduated from Columbia Business School in 1971 and worked in finance thereafter. George and Sandy married on August 1, 1976, in New York City and were married for almost 48 years. They met singing amateur opera, and always shared a love of art and music. When he was in college, George played in a band with Jim Croce and continued to sing with different choral groups throughout his life. One of their first dates was to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to see the famous Christmas tree, and this became an annual tradition. But it wasn’t always serious art or music they loved - in their early years together they would ride George’s motorcycle and go dancing late into the night in underground disco clubs. George and Sandy spent their summers on Fishers Island, renovating a house they bought just before their wedding. An active member of the community, George was elected as a Ferry Commissioner, and served on many committees including the parish counsel of Our Lady of Grace Church where he often led the singing at Sunday services. He was a lover of animals, and their dogs (Morgen, Timber, and Charlotte) played an important role in family life. One could often see George sitting on the porch swing at Fishers playing guitar and singing with a dog by his side. An imaginative songwriter and storyteller, George would make up bedtime stories of adventurous creatures like Melvin Moon Mouse, who was friends with an ant and was a stowaway on the lunar landing module. He was also an amateur astronomer and could frequently be seen after dark with his red Astroscan Telescope looking for celestial objects and inviting neighbors and friends to join. He grew an extensive knowledge of the history of Fishers Island, and loved giving impromptu walking tours of Fort H.G. Wright, its former army base. He enjoyed ocean swimming with his daughters and dogs, nature walks, gathering wildflowers, fishing, cooking, and of course, golf. As well as being a devoted father and husband, George was a kind person, a good listener, and a friend to all who knew him. George will be remembered and missed for his gentle and generous spirit, his hokey sense of humor, and his unwavering warmth toward others.

George J Esser

January 26, 1944 - July 25, 2024