Passed away at Lightways Hospice Home, on Saturday, August 6, 2022. Age 83 years. George was born and raised in Joliet, IL., he moved to the home he built in Elwood in 1975 and resided in the country with his family for 45 years. He will be remembered by his family and friends for his many hobbies that he devoted himself to, including his bird and landscape photography, gardening, cooking, fishing, tropical fish, bird feeding and birdhouse construction, watching and attending NASCAR and NHRA races and his love for repairing, collecting and building model train sets. George worked at Caterpillar's Joliet Plant for 44 years, starting his career on the factory floor in push cart delivery, eventually earning his way into factory accounting. His children will always treasure the help that he gave them on Scout and 4-H projects, his unparalleled canned stewed and juice tomatoes that he grew in his extraordinary garden, the beautiful flowers that he cultivated and the fishing vacations that he chartered for the family in Minnesota. One of his proudest moments was having his Baltimore Oriole photograph published in the Joliet Herald News. George is survived by his wife of 56 years, Paulette Branner, his son Gregory Paul (Margaret) Branner, daughters Amy Claire Branner and Lori (Michael) Forsythe; grandchildren Carlie (Fernando) Carrera-Rodriguez, Dylan, Nathan, Jacob and Tyler Forsythe, Evelyn and Julia Branner and great granddaughter Anastasia Carrera-Rodriguez. Also surviving is his sister Doris Pavlik and nephew Bryan Pavlik. He is preceded in death by his parents Chester and Minnie Branner, his sister Lorraine (Robert) Weil and brother-in-law Richard Pavlik. Funeral services will be held at the Carlson-Holmquist-Sayles Funeral Home & Crematory, 2320 Black Road, Thursday, August11th at 1:00 P.M. Interment Woodlawn Memorial Park II. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM until time of services.