George Brandys

At age 97, having faced Nazis, the Soviet invasion of his homeland, a refugee camp in Germany, colon and prostate cancer, and many adventures in between, George passed away “fully content with my life’s accomplishments.”

Born in the picturesque town of Olomouc in the Czech Republic on April Fools’ Day, George was the son of Leopold, an engineer and his loving mother Tereza, and older brother to his beloved Jan. Life changed with the Nazi occupation in 1939 and Soviet invasion after WWII. He escaped as the iron curtain went up.

After one year in a displaced persons camp in Germany with little to eat, he came to Canada by ship with other Czech refugees landing at Pier 21 in Halifax on April 23rd, 1949. He had only a coat, a small briefcase and spoke little English. He worked two years in the Farm Labour Program topping trees in B.C., picking tobacco in Ontario, and even digging graves. While learning English and working odd jobs, he lived with his dear friend Frank Balnar and put himself through engineering school at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1954. He met a young news reporter working for the Toronto Telegram, Elizabeth Margaret Balcom, who would later go on to become the President of UNICEF Canada. They married in 1954 and had two children, Christopher in 1956 and Timothy in 1964.

George launched a very successful 60-year career in structural engineering. He founded the prestigious firm BMR in Halifax and is responsible for most of the Halifax skyline. He continued designing right up until his death. In 1968, he helped many Czech refugees who fled to Halifax following the Prague Spring and Soviet Invasion. In his spare time, he played violin and conquered the waves and the slopes with his sailboard and skis.

In 1991 his first wife, Beth, died of breast cancer. In 2002, George married Ineke Graham, a talented Dutch painter and owner of the art gallery Studio 21. Surrounded by beautiful art, they have lived a magical life on Chocolate Lake in Halifax.

He is survived by a large loving family: his wife Ineke, his two sons Tim and Chris, their wives Kelly and Kathy-Anne, nine grandchildren: Lauren, Lindsay, Jeffrey, Craig, Glenn, Danielle, Stephanie, Colin, Kyle, two great-grandchildren: Leia and Harrison, and four step-children: David, Jonathan, Laura (predeceased), and Maria, and eight step-grandchildren: Rosemary, Martha, James, Hugh, Ian, Ross, Sophie, and Nicholas.

A celebration of his life will be held in the Spring.

Donations may be made to UNICEF Canada.