Former Mercer County resident George Kalal, 79, of Mountain Trace Nursing Home, Sylva, N.C., died Oct. 14, 2010, at Harris Regional Hospital, Sylva.

He was born March 13, 1931, in Chicago, Ill., to Anna and George J. Kalal. On Oct. 15, 1974, he married Carol Tarlton, who survives.

Other survivors are two children, Tony (Stephanie) Kalal, Fort Myers, Fla., and Kay (Rick) Simpson, Celina; a sister, Emily Hoover, Austin, Texas; two stepchildren, Candy Warris, Boca Raton, Fla., and Jody Shellenbarger, Holly Springs, Ga.; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Deceased is a son, Thomas L. Kalal; and a brother-in-law, Henry Hoover.

He graduated from Maine Township High School, Des Plaines, Ill., attended Bowling Green State University and graduated from Ohio Northern University. He farmed for 12 years in Rockford, and after receiving his degree, taught art at St. Marys Memorial High School. He also was a salesman for Perry Corporation and an inspector for Kohli Kaliher Assoc., both of Lima. In 1974 he moved to Florida and was a project inspector for Dwayne Hall Engineering and a project manager for Gator Utilities, both of Fort Myers, Fla. He retired after 14 years as engineer and project manager at Johnson Engineering, also of Fort Myers.

A private memorial service will be held at a later date.