George P. Sebastian

George P. Sebastian of Mesa, AZ, passed away and was welcomed into heaven on April 17, 2026.

George Petrovich Yakovlev was born in a prisoner of war camp in Wiesbaden, Germany on March 16, 1945. He was separated from his family as an infant, and ended up in the orphanage system. He spent time in orphanages in Germany, France, and Canada. He then came to the U.S. in 1951 to live at St Tikhon’s Monastery Orphanage in South Canaan, PA.

The orphanage is where Orthodox Christianity became so close to his heart. One of the priests was Fr. Sebastian, a father figure, and the person whose last name he ultimately took.

At age 12, he was notified that his mother, Marie, was miraculously alive, and had tracked him down. He moved to Harlem, NY, and lived with his mother through high school. His teenage jobs included delivering flowers, working in an auto-body shop, and during the summers as a farm-hand in Upstate NY. At the farm, he met the farmer’s daughter, Luda, who became the love of his life.

At age 20 he was drafted into the U.S. Army, and served six years. In the Army he excelled at the shooting range, became a sniper, and at one point ranked 4th in the world.

In 1971 he moved to Alaska. The fearless, adventurous spirit of Alaska was perfect for George. He worked several jobs, including building and warehousing for the Trans Alaska Oil Pipeline, as a metalworker for NASA, and as an ice road trucker.

George married Luda in 1981.

In 1987 they moved from Alaska to Arizona. George had a wide variety of jobs over the years and found a good fit as the owner of a swimming pool supply store. During this time, he was very dedicated to his family and his church. He also enjoyed the challenge of growing fruit trees in the Arizona heat.

He was an exceptional father, teaching the value of hard work, modeling dedication, showing the importance of respect, and emphasizing to always put God first.

He is survived by his devoted wife Ludmila, children Natasha (Bobby Corker), Christopher (Eva) Sebastian, Christina (Chris Guinoo) Sebastian, grandchildren Gabriella, Michael, Sophia, and Anthony, and sister BettyAnn (Sherod) Prewitt.

Services will be held at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Mesa, AZ, with a Viewing at 5p.m. on Friday, April 22, followed by a prayer service at 6p.m. A Funeral will be celebrated at 10a.m. Saturday, April 23, with burial and memorial lunch to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Ignatius Orthodox Church.