In 1950 when George, Katie and family moved to Kayville from Sudbury, Ontario, George purchased the existing hotel in Kayville with the money he had saved while working at the International Nickel Mine. 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 also a hard worker, George picked up his life again, and with the help of the bank and friends in town, he proceeded to build a brand new brick building. The Georgian Hotel was completed in 1951, when this picture was taken. You can click on the picture for more photos of George and the family.

George died of a heart attack in 1965.  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, John, 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. The house was sold in 1994 and Katie moved into a retirment home. The picture to the left was taken at the Family Reunion of 2000, showing all ten members of the family inside the hotel bar in Kayville.Sask. You can click on the picture and it will take you to all the previous family reunions.