George-Paul "Jeep" Fortuna

George-Paul “Jeep” Fortuna, of Silver Spring, MD, passed away on March 22, 2025, after an extended illness, surrounded by family and friends at home.  He was born in London, England, on September 5, 1952, the son of James V. and Frances J. Fortuna (deceased).  Jeep was the devoted husband to his wife Barbara, proud father of Jonathan (wife Sheila) and Claire, and grandfather to Aria.  He is also survived by his sister, Patricia Grundy (husband Rob), and many beloved nephews, nieces, aunts and cousins.  Jeep was predeceased by his brother, Jimmy Fortuna.

Jeep was a true Renaissance man with multiple careers throughout his life.  His love for theater began with the Mask & Wig drama department at St. Johns College High School, and he continued on that path in college. At the end of his sophomore year, Jeep was cast in the Ford's Theater (DC) production of the wildly popular musical Godspell, and he never looked back, performing in multiple productions of the hit show all across the country. His acting career continued with a national tour of They’re Playing Our Song and a one-person multimedia show for Pepsi’s educational outreach arm, that required traveling around the country in a van (along with his beloved dog Bogey) visiting elementary schools from Maine to California. He was a proud member of  the Actors' Equity Association and Screen Actors Guild, adding to his credits a number of feature films, television commercials, soap operas and industrial films.  In addition to being an accomplished actor and musician, Jeep was also a skilled carpenter, artist, and kitchen designer.  A life-long learner, he returned to college and earned his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland University College in 2013, launching yet another career as a trainer for various U.S. Government agencies until his retirement in December 2024.

Jeep was also a highly regarded leader and trainer of the Boy Scouts of the National Capital Area. He started as a den leader when Jonathan joined Cub Scouts, and went on to multiple leadership roles not only in Pack 248 and later Troop 249, but also for many district committees and training events. He inspired, influenced, and mentored hundreds of other volunteer Scouters with his enthusiasm, creativity and desire to make Scouting fun and worthwhile for young people. Jeep received numerous awards for his efforts and contributions to Scouting, including the prestigious Silver Beaver Award and the James E. West Award.

He was also frequently asked to apply his stagecraft to assume the character of Lord Robert Baden-Powell, founder of The Boy Scouts Association, for numerous parades, scouting ceremonies, and training events, including the 2010 National Scout Jamboree and Grand Centennial Parade celebrating 100 years of Scouting.

A celebration of Jeep’s life will be held at 11:00 AM on May 10, 2025, at the Marriott Scout Service Center, 9190 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814. A Zoom link will be posted here prior to the memorial.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jeep’s memory to support Scouting America through their national giving campaign, Friends of Scouting.