George Absalom Reil

    George Absalom Reil was a lifelong faithful and devoted member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and will be lovingly remembered by his children Emilie Reil, G. August Reil, Suzan Reil Naylor, Bryant Reil, Janice Reil and Amber Reil Kan Hai, his sister Arlene Helgeson and his twelve grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

    George passed away early in the morning on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, in Magrath at the age of 84 years.

    He was predeceased by his parents, Dora Spencer Reil and Fred Gerhard Reil, by his siblings Fred Gerhard Reil, Jr., Dora Jackson, C. Arland Reil and Ellen Sorenson, and his daughter, Christel Reil.

    George’s grandmother, Eleanor Critchfield Spencer, who was a nurse, delivered him in her house in Magrath, on October 1, 1939, at 4:00 pm.  His uncle and namesake, George Absalom Spencer, had just enlisted in the military and waited to meet his new nephew before shipping out. That was the beginning of their close, life-long bond.  

    George grew up in his ever-beloved town, Magrath.

    When George was in high school, he participated in the Air Cadets program in Raymond while he attended high school in Magrath.  This led to his acceptance into the Reserve Air Force in Calgary where he was given one rank higher than the starting rank when he first enlisted and was then promoted to the highest rank in the program, which was Sergeant.

    George excelled in the areas of math and physics and graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics.  Only the top 10% of the students in the Electrical Engineering  program were accepted into the Engineering Physics program.  He was one of only six graduates to complete this specialized course of study.

    After George earned his Bachelor’s degree, he perfected his German while serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in North Germany.  This area included the town where his father had been raised.

    He began his professional life teaching at N.A.I.T.  Shortly after, he started his family.  He and his young family of seven found themselves living in Magrath, Rosemary, Carseland, and Strathmore.  He was a loving and dedicated parent who was very committed to his role as a father.

    His professional life included teaching at the University of Lethbridge, he was a mechanical/electrical engineer at Global in Bassano, and he also taught at DeVry in Calgary for many years until he finally retired and returned to his much-loved home town of Magrath.

    His interests included learning, reading - mostly math, science, history and religious texts, songwriting, and inventing.

    The things that mattered most to him in life were his faith and his family.  He will always be remembered by those who know him best as a spiritually devoted, intelligent, compassionate, playful, conscientious, wholesome, honest man of integrity who had an unconditional heart of gold.

    His funeral services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Magrath Garden Place Chapel, located at 170 North Centre Street on Saturday, September 21, 2024.  The viewing will begin at 12:00 noon and the service will be at 1:00 pm. Interment will follow in the Magrath Cemetery. For those unable to attend, a livestream link will be added to the bottom of this obituary prior to the service. 

    George will always be fondly remembered by all who love him.  He will be forever in our hearts and eternally loved.

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