George Merkel

It was a privilege to know George. I loved his stories of the RCAF and his sense of humour. I have enduring memories of my mother (on holiday from the UK) and George chatting while sitting on a bench at the flying field. I shall miss you, George. Nigel

My family was introduced to "Uncle George " through his niece Susan and her husband Marv. They took very good care of him when he lived on his own here in Saskatoon, and when he moved in with them to their home in Regina. He was quite a character, and we had some good laughs over the comical things he would say or do. He liked to talk about helping them build their fence when they first moved in. And from what I heard he was a perfectionist. I think he quite enjoyed having their grandchildren around in his last years. I do know he enjoyed every Christmas at their home and his only complaint was " he got too fat". This Christmas I am sure he will be missed, at the table, and as they play their traditional board game later in the evening. Our condolences to the whole family. Bless you, and sleep well "uncle George"

I met George 40 years ago as a member of the Hub City Radio Control Club that he co-founded a few years earlier (we later learned we both came from the same home town - Allan, SK). He taught me to fly R/C, and over the years he became a great friend and mentor to me and many others in our model flying club. We often called him the "R/C guru" because of his vast knowledge of all things aviation. He was a perfectionist and would cautioned us fellow modellers that there is no such thing as 'good enough' when constructing a model - and his own projects reflected that notion - his models were flawless. We enjoyed many many years of camaraderie both at our flying field and at our regular afternoon coffee breaks at the Travelodge hotel coffee shop whereupon his vast knowledge on many subjects contributed to many lively and interesting discussions on a wide variety of topics. Our R/C club honoured him with a lifetime membership in the 1980's for his role in organizing the Hub City Radio Control Club and for his many many contributions to the Club in the ensuing years. We also named the Club's most prestigious trophy in his honour - 'The George Merkel Sportsmanship Award' that is annually awarded to a club member who is singled out for their extraordinary contribution at the club level or R/C modelling in general. I want George's family to know that he was a much loved and respected man by the many people who knew him in Saskatoon, and we will all miss him dearly. On behalf of my wife Deb and I, we offer our sincere condolences to the family on the passing of this wonderful man.

I am the property manager at the Evergreen Condominiums, and had the pleasure of knowing George for more than 20 years. We often ran across each others paths in the day, and would talk about almost anything. I know George was a very independent man, and I knew it was hard for him to leave his home, but it was the best for him to be with his family. I often thought of George after he moved and how he was doing. Many of the other owners asked of him also. If fact some people still call his unit George's place. I hope this small note can bring you a small bit of comfort, and know that people are thinking of you, and George. I am sorry for your loss. Take care, and God bless.