George Bruce Rampacek

George Bruce Rampacek, age 75, passed away peacefully on July 30, 2021, with family at his side.  George was born on May 24, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona, to Carl and Mary Rampacek.  At the age of 14, his family moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and in 1964 he graduated from Tuscaloosa County High School where he was a member of the Honor Society and played varsity basketball.   He then earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in animal science at the University of Maryland.  During summers he interned at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he met another summer intern, Anne Suter, whom he married in 1970.  After serving in the U.S. Army Reserves, George received his Ph.D. degree in animal science from North Carolina State University in 1974.  He and Anne then moved to Athens, Georgia, where he joined the Department of Animal and Dairy Science faculty. George established a collaborative research program with faculty in the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Department of Foods and Human Nutrition and scientists at the USDA Richard Russell Research Center.  George and co-workers are internationally recognized for research on regulation of reproduction and growth in pigs. He authored or co-authored over 100 manuscripts in refereed scientific journals.  George mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, many of them going on to distinguished careers of their own.  He retired in 2004 after 30 years of distinguished service to UGA and the swine industry. 

In addition to his science career, George was a devoted husband and father, a talented carpenter, an avid hunter, a world traveler, and lover of National Parks here and in Canada.  During his retirement he also enjoyed boating on Lake Lanier with family, friends, and neighbors, giving up his lake house and boat only a few weeks before his death.

George is survived by Anne Rampacek, his wife of 50 years; his daughter Sarah Rampacek; his granddaughter Katherine Rampacek; his grandson George Soriano-Rampacek; his brother Charles Rampacek of Mesa, Arizona, and Fredericksburg, Texas; nieces Susan Wilson, Kristi Dyer, and Mallory Craig; and nephew Dennis Craig. 

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on August 4, 2021, at Memorial Park South Funeral Home, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Georgia.  In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the University of Georgia or Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Memorial Park South Funeral Home, 4121 Falcon Parkway, Flowery Branch, Georgia 30542 is in charge of arrangements.  Send on-line condolences to www.memorialparkfuneralhomes.com.