In 1950 when George, Katie and family moved to Kayville from
Sudbury, George purchased the existing hotel in Kayville with
money he had saved while working at International Nickel. His
dream since immigrating to Canada was to own and operate a small
business in order to support his family. Sadly, only 6 months after
purchasing the hotel, it was destroyed by a fire that started in
the building next door. The whole main street burned down that night.
George had no insurance and no money left in the bank. With the help
of the community, the family was resettled in a little two room house
in town. Never one to give up and always a hard worker, George picked
up his life again, and with the help of the bank and friends in the
town, he proceeded to build a brand new brick building.
The Georgian Hotel was completed in 1951.

George died of a heart attack in 1965 at the age of 61.
It was a very untimely death that left the family shocked
and grief stricken.The youngest child at the time, Marina,was
only five years old. Laura, quit her job in Regina to come home
and along with Sam took on the responsibility of managing the
hotel business and helping Katie with the children. As the years
went by, other family members, Johnny, Doreen and Georgina
also took their turns at managing the business to support the family.

In 1977, the family sold the hotel and bought a little house for Katie
in Moose Jaw, Sask., where she still resides today at the age of 86.