Georgie Alan Tsushima
December 11, 1988 - July 18, 2015

A Reflection on Georgie's Life and His Contributions to Ames and Beyond
Georgie was born in Seattle, Washington on December 11, 1988, to Masahiro and Teresa Tsushima (now Teresa Downing-Matibag). Having moved to Ames in 2004, Georgie understood the importance of feeling welcomed, as well as the importance of kids having healthy venues for recreation. While the skate park was his favorite place to be, he also spent countless hours in the woods and parks surrounding Ames, creating gorgeous photographs and videos of the natural landscape.

Georgie lived his life cognizant of his footprint. Rather than drive, he skateboarded or rode his bike. He also took environmental concerns into account with the food and products he consumed. He mentored and tutored youth to invest in things that mattered, encouraging them to focus on their futures and steer clear of drugs and reckless alcohol use. He was always interested in kids who needed a helping hand at the park, making himself available to show them new tricks, encourage them in school, and offer friendly advice on making a positive impact in the community. As an Ames High School honors student, Georgie was conscientious about completing his homework on a daily basis and maintaining good grades.

Georgie opened the first skate shop in town, Focus Skateshop, and worked at the Flame & Skewer in North Grand Mall, waiting tables and doing dishes to fund his business. The shop was successfully managed through his high school graduation and the two years he spent studying at Iowa State University, after which he moved to California, where Georgie landed a position as a skateboard videographer for VOX Footwear. He traveled with the Stereo Sound Agency team, filming across the county and had aspirations of joining the team himself. He was living the life he dreamed of as a kid and working with the professionals he watched videos of and read about. Georgie had become a well-known and respected skateboarder among some of the nation’s best, including his friends and fellow skateboarders Jordan Hoffart and Makenzie Moss. Georgie’s artful skateboarding videography was also featured on leading websites and in the best magazines in the industry.