Brown, George Barna
Dad was born in Hungary in 1923 and emigrated to Canada with his parents, George and Maria, and his younger brother, Alec, in 1938. His sister Loretta was born shortly after. The Barna family lived in the Tillsonburg area where they were sharecroppers on a tobacco farm until they bought their own farm on Fisher's Glen Road near Simcoe. Dad served his new country during WW II as a medic in the RCAF (Squadron 162) at a base in Iceland. After the war, Dad graduated from The University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, class of 1951. Working for the then Ontario Department of Lands and Forests in the Swastika District Office, Dad used his knowledge from farming to improve both forest fire suppression and silviculture in Ontario. While working at Lands and Forests, a certain secretary caught his eye. She was Betty McGill, one of the McGill triplets from Kirkland Lake. George and Betty were married in 1955 and settled into family life welcoming their first child, Barry, in 1956 followed by Brenda in 1958. George and Betty were proud and devoted parents who made family their first priority and put their children's needs before their own. In 1973, George was promoted to Regional Forester in the Kenora District of Natural Resources. Dad had an outstanding work ethic and held himself to a high standard. As a result, he had very little patience for ineptitude and stupidity on the job. His verbal tirades and colourful language were legendary. After a regional forestry meeting in Red Lake in the 1970's, the gentlemen gathered for some social time and had a few libations. As the older foresters became intoxicated, the younger foresters seized the opportunity to tell them how things should be done in forestry in Ontario. One of the older foresters who was too inebriated to refute their suggestions could only blurt out, "Let George talk!" Dad's final promotion was in 1981 when his forestry career took him to Queen's Park where he showed them how things are said and done the George Brown way. Dad was reluctant to retire from his forestry career but finally did so in 1984. He kept a close eye on how new governments in the province affected his life's work. When a certain PC government came to power, his daughter asked him how forestry would be affected. He turned his back with tears in his eyes and replied, "I can't talk about it." Mom and Dad settled into retired life in the beautiful town of Grimsby. They had wonderful neighbours and enjoyed living closer to their extended families. It broke Dad's heart when Mom passed away in 2009. Because he had been diagnosed with dementia, his children moved him to Lincoln Park Retirement Community in Grimsby. Dad was very happy there, spending his days reading, going for walks, and enjoying his daily visits from the angel ladies of Judy Benoit's private Home Caring Service. Dad was admitted to the hospital in Grimsby with pneumonia. His condition quickly deteriorated despite the excellent care from Dr. Mullen and the many nurses who obviously share the same work ethic as Dad. With his beloved daughter by his side, he left this world to enter the next on November 18th. Dad leaves behind his heartbroken family: his son Barry from Kenora / Winnipeg; his daughter Brenda and her husband Ron Callaghan from Minden and their two sons Colin and his girlfriend Emily from Huntsville, Michael from Ottawa; his sister Loretta Gevaert, wife of the late Lieven, of Rockland and her daughters Tonya and Lara and her husband Mike Jones; Betty's last surviving sibling, Shirley Lefebvre of Huntsville and her four daughters Sharon, Marlene, Brenda and Cindy; Betty's last surviving in-law, Mary McGill of Stoney Creek, and many McGill nieces and nephews; the members of Betty's foster family, Jim and his wife Donna Langdon of Dryden; Dianne and her husband Gordon Craig of Toronto. We take comfort in knowing that Dad's work ethic lives on in Colin; his humility in Michael, and his devotion to family in Brenda and Loretta. Good-night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.