George Hansen

George Keith Hansen of Pittsford, NY passed away suddenly at the age of eighty on July 16, 2024, in Rochester, NY. He was surrounded by a small group of family and friends. He was predeceased by his parents Keith and Doris Hansen and by his brother Steven. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Keri Hansen, by his sons Eric (Amy) and Paul (Beth), by his grandchildren, Brendan, Olivia, Ryan, Gray and Guthrie, by his sister-in-law Adele Hansen and by his two nieces, Maria Lewis and Jenny Hansen.

George was born in International Falls, MN and grew up in St. Louis Park, MN. He spent his youth building rockets, telescopes and go-carts from scratch. He was also an avid Boy Scout. He graduated in 1962 in the top ten of his class at St. Louis Park H.S. He then graduated from the University of Minnesota with a major in Physics. He also received a scholarship from the Navy’s ROTC program. While at the University he found his beloved wife, Keri. They met at a Fraternity/Sorority mixer where he asked if she was going to finish her beer. She politely said no, he could have it. The rest is history. They were married in 1966 and moved to Rochester, NY where he started his long and successful career at Kodak that culminated in a role as Kodak’s Director & Vice President of Corporate Quality. While at Kodak he completed his M.S. in Optics at the University of Rochester in 1974. He was also selected to be in the prestigious Advanced Management Program where he studied at Harvard. After retiring from Kodak in 1998 he decided his career as a quality professional would continue as he became the Director of New York Empire State Advantage. Never one to rest on his laurels, George also found the time to be the Executive Director of the Greater Rochester Quality Council. After several years of distinguished service, they named an award in his honor, the “George K. Hansen Exemplar Award” only given to organizations that consistently exceeded their performance metrics. He also found time to volunteer with the Rochester City Schools and ROC The Future.

George was a devoted father and husband, a true family man. He loved attending his children’s sporting events and despite a demanding work schedule never missed a game. He was also the team photographer and was known for his legendary end of season slide shows that typically ended with thirty second standing ovations. George was a car guy through and through. He owned multiple Corvettes, a Datsun 240Z and a Mustang GT over the years. There are many stories told of “wild” rides in and around Mendon Ponds Park in his Y2K Corvette. He left an incredible legacy and an indelible mark on so many. He will be deeply missed by his family and lifelong friends.