George J. Pfeifer, '44
George J. Pfeifer, '44, passed away on February 3, 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. Lifetime Member.
On Thursday, February 4, 2021 alumni were given the sad news that George Pfeifer, '44, had passed away the previous evening at his home. True to his passion, basketball, Coach was preparing to watch the Creighton basketball game from his favorite chair when it was discovered that he had passed away.
George Pfeifer began his lifelong association with Boys Town as a youth in August of 1940.
His father had passed away and he and two of his brothers, Robert and Alfred found themselves on a journey from Hays, Kansas to Boys Town. Once at Boys Town, young George Pfeifer found sports an ideal outlet for his boundless energy. In particular, he discovered basketball and was a member of Boys Town's varsity team. His popularity was such that he was elected mayor in July of 1943 by his fellow Boys Town citizens. Upon graduation in 1944 he enlisted in the Navy and served his nation. At the completion of his service in World War II, Pfeifer enrolled at Fort Hayes State College and completed his undergraduate degree in 1951. Following a stint as a coach at Fort Hayes, Pfeifer was called by his old coach, Skip Palrang, to head back to Boys Town and become a member of the coaching staff and a teacher. He parlayed his skills as a coach and teacher and eventually became the head basketball and head track coach. During his tenure as basketball coach he notched back-to-back Class A state championships in 1965 and 1966. However, state championships were nothing new to Pfeifer as he led the 1954 track team to a Class A state championship.
Never one to sit on his laurels, Pfeifer completed his Master's Degree at the University of Omaha in 1959 and eventually become the principal of the Boys Town Elementary school prior to his retirement in the mid-1980s.
Pfeifer was a strong and active supporter of the Boys Town National Alumni Association
George Pfeifer began his lifelong association with Boys Town as a youth in August of 1940.
His father had passed away and he and two of his brothers, Robert and Alfred found themselves on a journey from Hays, Kansas to Boys Town. Once at Boys Town, young George Pfeifer found sports an ideal outlet for his boundless energy. In particular, he discovered basketball and was a member of Boys Town's varsity team. His popularity was such that he was elected mayor in July of 1943 by his fellow Boys Town citizens. Upon graduation in 1944 he enlisted in the Navy and served his nation. At the completion of his service in World War II, Pfeifer enrolled at Fort Hayes State College and completed his undergraduate degree in 1951. Following a stint as a coach at Fort Hayes, Pfeifer was called by his old coach, Skip Palrang, to head back to Boys Town and become a member of the coaching staff and a teacher. He parlayed his skills as a coach and teacher and eventually became the head basketball and head track coach. During his tenure as basketball coach he notched back-to-back Class A state championships in 1965 and 1966. However, state championships were nothing new to Pfeifer as he led the 1954 track team to a Class A state championship.Never one to sit on his laurels, Pfeifer completed his Master's Degree at the University of Omaha in 1959 and eventually become the principal of the Boys Town Elementary school prior to his retirement in the mid-1980s.
Pfeifer was a strong and active supporter of the Boys Town National Alumni Association
(BTNAA) and a founding member of the Boys Town National Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. He served as vice president of the BTNAA twice and was on the Scholarship Fund board for more that three decades helping to grow the fund from a small beginning to the point where the Fund is now awarding $70,000 and $100,000/year in scholarship assistance. He has a scholarship named for him and Skip Palrang that is given annually to the top male and female athlete in the Boys Town graduating senior class. This scholarship is funded by Dr. Leo McCarthy, a close and dear friend of Coach Pfeifer.
You could always find Coach Pfeifer at the Boys Town Biennial Reunions...it was easy to spot him because he had a crowd of alumni, young and old, surrounding him and wanting to share a moment with the "Coach". He always had time to speak to all who came and his memory for names was astounding. It wasn't unusual to hear him call out a name of someone he hadn't seen in 40 years and talk with them like it was yesterday.
Pfeifer was instrumental in encouraging Boys Town to honor its alumni athletes and he worked tirelessly with the BTNAA Sports Hall of Fame Committee and its chairman, Bo Rhudy, '60, in developing a fair and equitable scoring system to ensure that the best athletes were being honored with induction into the Hall of Fame. He could be counted on to provide insight into both the athletic abilities of a potential inductee and into their character. This counsel was invaluable in identifying the best of the best for induction into the Hall of Fame.
Coach Pfeifer was one of the first two Boys Town Alumni athletes to be inducted into the Boys Town Alumni Sports Hall of Fame at its inaugural event in 2005. This honor was followed up in 2006 by his induction into the Nebraska High School Hall of Fame (Coach).
In the mid-2000s, Pfeifer was back in the field house sharing his basketball wisdom with Boys Town's current coach, Tom Krehbiel and the Cowboy hoopsters as they played their way to a Class C-1 state championship in 2006.
In full retirement Coach Pfeifer continued to stay connected to the Home and the alumni with occasional visits to the Hall of History and phone calls to many of his former students.
Coach Pfeifer will be missed by many and his caring influence and sound wisdom will be the legacy he leaves to each and everyone who had the privilege of George Pfeifer in their lives.
In the mid-2000s, Pfeifer was back in the field house sharing his basketball wisdom with Boys Town's current coach, Tom Krehbiel and the Cowboy hoopsters as they played their way to a Class C-1 state championship in 2006.
In full retirement Coach Pfeifer continued to stay connected to the Home and the alumni with occasional visits to the Hall of History and phone calls to many of his former students.
Coach Pfeifer will be missed by many and his caring influence and sound wisdom will be the legacy he leaves to each and everyone who had the privilege of George Pfeifer in their lives.
He was predeceased by his wife Virginia "Jean" Pfeifer in 2007 and is survived by his children Rod, Deb and Bruce.
THE PFEIFER FAMILY REQUESTS: ALL EMAIL CONDOLENCE MESSAGES BE SENT TO DEBRA BABER (daughter): "dbaber5879@hotmail.com"
ALL CARDS, TRIBUTES AND OTHER CONDOLENCE MESSAGES BE SENT DIRECTLY TO:
MR. ROD PFEIFER
MR. ROD PFEIFER
1122 SOUTH 99TH CIRCLE
OMAHA, NEBR. 68124
ALL MEMORIAL GIFTS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO:
THE BOYS TOWN NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP FUND
P.O. BOX 762
P.O. BOX 762
BOYS TOWN, NEBR. 68010
Funeral arrangements are pending and will be annouced when they are known.