GEORGE RADUL

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GEORGE RADUL After 88 years of projects and adventures George Radul passed away peacefully on August 17, 2005. Recently predeceased by his wife of 53 years Marnie (nee Lucas), George leaves daughter Judy Radul, son-in-law Michael Turner, sisters, Ellen Strachan, Betty Afanasiev, and brother Gordon Radul (Ruth), nieces and nephews including Lynne Koopman (Larry) and Chris Zarowski as well as other family and friends. George was born in 1917 in the village of East Braintree Manitoba. His mother and father, like many in the community, were recent immigrants from Romania. In the Manitoba bush the atmosphere of hard work and occasional misfortune was sweetened by the ready abundance of the natural world. George was shaped by this upbringing, the depression of the 1930's and time spent in the Royal Canadian Air force (1940-1945). He had a great sense of humour and a determination to be his own boss. In one notable year he had 17 different jobswhich meant he didn't take any guff from anybody. Once married he and Marnie moved around Canada with numerous ventures: they lived in a tent on the Hart Highway during its construction; owned restaurants including the Oasis in Calgary, the Voyageur (Greyhound Bus Depot) in Swift Current, and the Mount Hope Coffee Shop in Hope B.C. When Judy was born they lived in an airstream trailer in Lillooet while working for BC Forest Services. In 1967 the family settled in Maple Ridge and George worked at Oakalla prison for several years. Following that he was the proprietor of the Maple Ridge Golf course for a decade. He was famous for cooking up to 40 steaks at once on the giant BBQ and infamous for insisting that last night's coffee was still perfectly good at 7 am. George always had projects on the go: teaching industrial first aid; writing greeting card jokes; making driftwood sculptures; building a cabin in Sechelt; constructing a clay oven in the back yard; and buying cars, properties and animals on impulse (mom we got a goat!). George will be remembered as a loving father and an independent spirit.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 20, 2005