George Kenneth McLellan

George was born on September 29, 1919…son of David and Isabelle McLellan. He was the fifth of nine children….four boys and five girls. Dave and Bella moved around southern Ontario, eventually settling in Acton and from the 1940’s to the 1960’s lived at 253 Mill St. East. All four of the McLellan boys joined in the war effort.

Prior to the war, George cut ice from Fairy Lake …an occupation you do not hear much about these days. George also graded the roads and had a garbage service.

During the war, George was stationed at Camp Borden where he was the driver for the Chaplain. This was a much-coveted duty during the war and George was happy to have secured it. George did not go overseas, but instead was stationed solely in Ontario, much to the relief of his mother Bella.

In 1940, the Canadian Army Regiment, the 48^th Highlanders of Canada at Camp Borden was known for wearing plaid pants (properly known as tartan trews). While the regiment’s traditional full dress included kilts, during the transition to the new Canadian Battle Dress in WW2, Highland Regiments were famously issued tartan trews for dress and training.

After the war, George worked alongside both of his brothers John and Max at Firestone Tires in Hamilton and he married Catherine Viola Moore “Vi” on April 3,1948. They had three children: Ken, Anne and Ted.

In 1953, George and Vi moved to Delaware and George worked at a butcher shop, owned by his brother-in-law Frank Brennan (married to his sister Jessie). Baby Ken was born at the tail end of 1953 and Anne followed quickly after, in 1954. It was in 1956 that George built McLellan Meat Market and Groceteria across the street from the butcher shop. Teddy was born in 1958.

George’s sister Helen says that George was blessed with both luck and charm and literally to know him was to love him.

George died on January 26, 1983.

Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on. *submitted to Homes of Heroes Halton Hills by Marie Jocque South, George’s niece