George Pralea

George (Gheorghe) Pralea (61) passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 27th, 2025 at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan after a year-long battle with lung cancer.

George was born on August 12, 1963 in Budești, Romania to parents, Maria and Gheorghe, and had 6 siblings. He was the eldest and took a large role in raising his brothers and sisters; even working full-time in a factory at age 15 to help support the family. When George was 18 years old he fled Romania during the Nicolae Ceauşescu dictatorship. He would later spend time in Italy, Germany, and France before coming to Canada.

He first lived in Edmonton, AB before moving to Saskatoon, SK where he worked as a taxi driver and then did construction and drywalling.

In 1985, George met his wife, Pamela Flores, in Saskatoon. They were married in 1991. They lived in Guelph, ON and Edmonton, AB before permanently making their home in Saskatoon. George and Pamela have two children: daughter Calina and son Jason.

George loved being a father, always taking his kids to movies, camping trips, and fishing. He was a huge influence on his kids, inspiring them to be adventurous and to travel. George's love of cooking, reading, music, movies, and the outdoors lives on through his kids.

George worked at R&D Commercial Interiors as a drywall foreman for nearly 30 years. George was a detailed worker who took great pride in the things he built and the teams he would lead. His work took him all over Canada and he always loved the remote Northern jobs because of the excellent fishing.

George loved nothing more than being a grandad. Monty and Milo meant the world to him, and he was the world to them. From monster truck shows to listening to Romanian music, to lake trips and telling them he loved them every chance he got, the joy they brought to him was immeasurable all the way to the end.

George made friends very easily and was reliable, hard working, and had a great sense of humour. He was a person who would help anyone who asked, spending much of his free time assisting friends. He could never sit still for very long before starting a brand new project.

George loved the outdoors and spent many happy hours fishing at lakes across Saskatchewan and the North. He enjoyed reading Western novels and movies, and listening to country and Romanian music. George was a great cook who would spend long hours in the kitchen making traditional Romanian food for friends and family; his cabbage rolls and Romanian mici are second to none.

George is survived by his wife, Pamela; daughter Calina (Braden); son, Jason; grandchildren Monty and Milo; mother-in-law, Yolanda; sisters Ana (Cantemir), Maria, Ileana, Ioana (Pavel), and brother Ion; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Maria and Gheorghe; brother, Vasile, and father-in-law, Samuel.

There will be a Celebration of Life on June 8th at St. Andrews College (1121 College Dr, Saskatoon, SK) in the Main Lounge from 1pm-3:30pm. All who knew George are welcome to attend. A private family interment will take place at a later date.