Obituary of George Vrana

Vrana: George 1935-2015 After a difficult battle with lung cancer and its many complications over the past few months, George passed away peacefully on Monday April 13th at Kingston General Hospital. The family is deeply appreciative of the kindness and care that George received from the medical team during his final weeks at KGH, on the 10th floor in the Connell Wing. George was born in Chrudim, Czechoslovakia and moved post-war, at the age of 13 with his parents and brother Charles, to Aurora, Ontario to start a new life. At the Aurora High School, he learned to speak English and proved to be an outstanding student in academics and athlete in football and basketball. His hobby in electronics led him to serve in the Royal Canadian Air Force reserve as radio technician from 1951-1955. From there, George went on to Royal Military College where he met Marlene Hawkins of Gananoque on the cheerleading squad. After graduating from RMC in 1959, he completed his degree in electrical engineering at the University of Toronto in 1960. George continued his pilot training at RCAF Portage La Prairie, then Navigator training in RCAF Bagotville. After their wedding in Gananoque in 1962, George joined the CF 100 Squadron, relocating with Marlene to Baden-Solingen, Germany and then Sacramento, California. He retired from the RCAF in 1965 returned to settle in Quebec until 1972, moving to Oakville where he lived with his family for over 20 years. Upon retirement, George and Marlene relocated to Gananoque in 1996 and built a summer home on Tremont Island in the Thousand Islands. George will be fondly remembered for his love of photography, cooking, history and travel. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marlene, their daughter Janet, her husband John, children Owen and Tara, and his son Richard, wife Jennifer and their children Brock, Alexis and Ava. In accordance with his final wishes, the family held a private memorial for George last Saturday in Gananoque and plans to hold a Celebration of Life this summer at the cottage that George proudly built. For those wishing donations in George's memory can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.