Parcourez la nécrologie de George Emil Ostashek March 31 1944 June 14 2024 80 Years Old résidant dans la province Alberta pour le détail des funérailles.
George Ostashek Obituary
In the early hours of a quiet spring morning on the 14th day of June 2024, George Ostashek of Yellowhead County, Alberta, passed away at home after a brief battle with lung cancer.
George was born in High Prairie, Alberta, on March 31, 1944, to John and Olga Ostashek. He grew up in Mountain Park and Mercoal before settling in Brule. George first met Mariea Garneau in 1961 and several years later reconnected, started dating, and were married on April 4, 1970. When George and Mariea married, Mariea welcomed George’s first son, Neil, to the family, and George and Mariea then went on to have three children together: Albert, Ginette, and Joleen. George and Mariea raised their family in Brule until 1994, when they moved to a property in Yellowhead County, just west of Hinton.
George was competent at pretty much everything he tried and was drawn toward physical work. He had tenacious and competitive qualities that served him well in business and he held his work ethic, perseverance, and the responsibility of being provider in the highest regard. He made his living by working on the drilling rigs, driving log truck, and established several businesses throughout his life, nearly all of which he worked hands-on as a driver or operator, including a trucking company specializing in log hauling, a tree delimbing company, a heavy equipment construction operation, a standing tree to mill logging company, a sand & gravel supply business, and a ready mixed concrete supply business.
Throughout all of that, his true passion was being in the wilderness, especially on horseback. He was a handy horseman and a skilled cowboy, whether he was breaking colts, riding out bucking broncs at local rodeos, guiding hunters in the mountains, or operating one of his horse-oriented businesses. In 1961 George established the “Miette Pony Barns” with his brother John. A few years later, George and John expanded the operation to include a horseback tourism business in the Tonquin Valley of Jasper National Park, a Class A guiding & outfitting business taking international clients hunting for big horn sheep and other animals in the Wilmore Wilderness Area and other locales in west central Alberta. Later John moved to the Yukon, leaving George the Alberta venture which by then was mainly focused on guiding and outfitting in the Moosehorn Lakes region of western Alberta.
At one point in the mid-1970s, George felt that an airplane could prove to be an asset to support his guiding and outfitting business so, in true George fashion, he decided to get his pilot’s license and buy an airplane which is exactly what he did. In short order George was a licensed pilot with his own light airplane that he kept at the Entrance Airport and flew regularly for several years.
George moved away from the horse-oriented business world in the late-80’s but even after George wasn’t hunting, guiding, and horseback riding professionally, he still tried to spend as much time on a horse in the mountains as he could. He was always eager to take friends and family on trips to share his knowledge of the art of horse packing and how to travel in the mountains. He was happy to share his knowledge of the old, lost, and forgotten trails that could get his friends and family to the places they wanted to go. George was always most excited to head out on a sheep hunt and he never forgot the skills and talents that he had honed for many years as a professional sheep guide. He helped many of his friends and family members harvest trophies, as well as a few for himself, including a 40” ram that he took on a solo trip when he was in his 60s.
To people who didn’t know George well, he came across as a man with a gruff exterior and a lot of sharp edges, but under that there was a soft heart. George loved his grandchildren more than anything and had a soft spot for kids in general. A perfect example of his giving nature was when he went to Jarvis Lake to visit his young grandchildren while they played at the lake. He was shocked at the state of the rocky “beach” and stated, “Kids can’t play in the goddamn rocks!” First thing Monday morning, George was on the phone with Switzer Park administration asking to donate a bunch of sand, equipment, trucking, and manpower to build a proper beach at Jarvis Lake. Park administration was quick to take him up on that offer and it was done within a matter of days, all at no charge. That beach is still there, enjoyed by kids to this day, nearly 25 years later.
George was preceded by his parents, John and Olga Ostashek, his brother John Ostashek, and his grandson Ethan Testo. George was also preceded in death by his brother-in-law, friend, and mentor, Charlie Saville.
George is survived by his wife Mariea (Garneau) Ostashek, sons Neil (Lisa) Testo and Albert (Cindy) Ostashek, his daughters Ginette (Darin) Quintilio and Joleen (Darren) Hirst. George is also survived by his grandsons Carter (Stacey) Ostashek, Tomas Quintilio, and Max Testo, his granddaughters Tori Ostashek, Bella Quintilio, Zarah Quintilio and Madi Testo, sisters Doris (late-Charlie) Saville, Alexandra (John) Merrell, and Anne (Bill) Davidson.
In respect of George’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. The family thanks everyone for their support at this difficult time. In lieu of flower tributes, donations, if desired, can be directed to the Hinton Community Cancer Centre or the Hinton Healthcare Foundation in memory of George Ostashek.
Rest in peace, Papa, where the grass grows green and stirrup high and you always have a mountain view.
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March 31 1944 June 14 2024 80 Years Old
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de George Emil Ostashek March 31 1944 June 14 2024 80 Years Old..
Décès pour la Ville: Edson, Province: Alberta
avis deces George Emil Ostashek March 31 1944 June 14 2024 80 Years Old
necrologie George Emil Ostashek March 31 1944 June 14 2024 80 Years Old
Nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis de George Emil Ostashek March 31 1944 June 14 2024 80 Years Old et espérons que leur mémoire pourra être une source de réconfort pendant cette période difficile. Vos pensées et vos mots aimables sont grandement appréciés.