WAKARUK, George
July 13, 1919 - July 7, 2013
One week before his 94th birthday, George Wakaruk, long- time resident of Newcastle passed away peacefully at the Red Deer Regional Health Complex. He was born in the family home in NewCastle where he lived until his passing. George, his brothers Bill and John (Jake) and sister Helen spent their childhood days in adventures along the banks of the Red Deer River and Newcastle Beach. He had prowess as a swimmer having the record time for an upstream river swim from the rapids in Newcastle to the Nacmine Bridge. At an early age, George developed a mechanical aptitude, constructing a milk can diving helmet and using a bicycle pump as an air supply successfully crossed the river. This feat was reported in an article in The Toronto Star newspaper. He also built an airplane utilizing a Model T engine. However, this project was not allowed to get off the ground. In 1946, George met and married Martha Ragon and raised a family of four. He is survived by his wife of sixty-seven years, Roger of Calgary, Gary of Newcastle, Linda (Tim) Murphy of Bonnyville and Cindy (Gary) Gerodo of NewCastle. George had a life- long love of learning. He was an intelligent man being a voracious reader of any literature- from the humanities to history, politics and particularly the sciences. He prided himself in being one of the few local boys, at that time, to graduate high school. George had a very strong work ethic. He worked at numerous coal mines in the valley as a miner, fire boss and mine electrician. In the early 50s, he co-owned and operated the Cozy Coal Mine. During the off season, he worked on oilrigs and in construction. With the closure of the mines in the valley, he worked as an electrician for many years at Hector’s Pipe and Steel in Calgary. He was then employed at the Drumheller Federal Penitentiary until he retired. In his retirement, his hobbies included puttering around the house and garage, playing cribbage, gardening, astronomy and of course, reading. He loved to debate current affair issues using television newscast as his opponent. He was always the self-declared winner! His idioms on life included favorite sayings such as, “Better the dime in my pocket than theirs” as his frugality was legendary, “I can fix or rebuild it” and “I can do this without directions.” He could have authored a book on 1001 ways to use duct tape! He will be remembered by his family as the poster child for Coca-Cola and Saybon toffee consumption. He was very proud of all his grandchildren, Brent, Chris Wakaruk, Theresa, Laurel, Seamus, Sean Murphy and Erin, Tyler Gerodo. He later welcomed four great-grandchildren- Emily, Katie Wakaruk and Pearce, Kira Murphy. He will be missed. A celebration of George’s life will follow at a later date.
