Obituary of George E. Zurava

            George E. Zurava passed away in his Silver Lake home surrounded and comforted by his family.              George was preceded in death by his wife Donna F. Zurava and his parents George M. and Agnes Zurava.  He leaves to mourn his wife Rebecca Ann Zurava and child and stepchildren Karen Zurava Hrdlicka of Akron, Elizabeth (Damon) Bryant of Beavercreek OH, and Daniel J. (Song Hui) McGown, Jr. of Reston VA, and grandsons Colin and Spencer Bryant of Beavercreek OH.              A member of the Benedictine High School Class of 1956, Cleveland, George paid for his BHS tuition and fees by delivering the Plain Dealer and bagging groceries at Fazio’s.  Before he was able to purchase his first car, a 1947 red Plymouth convertible, at the age of 16, he traveled back and forth to Benedictine by bus, buddies, or hitchhiking.  During his years at Benedictine, George was President of the Dominoes Booster Club, President of the Student Senate, a member of the National Forensics League and the Knights of the Holy Grail.              In support of his church, George was an altar boy for Grades 4-12.  He was President of the So Ma Ki Young Adult Club and was named an Outstanding Young Man in the Cleveland East Deanery.             George enlisted in the Ohio National Guard.  He was honorably discharged from the US Army Reserve.  During his military years, George graduated from the NCO Academy and was appointed acting sergeant in the Armor School, platoon sergeant, and tank commander.             George worked for Western Electric Company in Cleveland and New York. He started as a mail boy and was promoted to tabulating equipment operator due to his pinochle playing skills.  In 1962, he was promoted to corporate headquarters in NYC as a computer analyst. In 1966, George accepted a position at Kent State University as a computer programmer.   While employed at KSU, George completed a BBA in Management Science.  Through the years, he served as a systems analyst in the computer center, manager of computer operations, associate director for computer systems, acting director of computer systems, and associate director of management information systems. During his tenure, George designed most of the student records system that were used at Kent State from 1966 through the mid-1980s. He concluded his 32-year career at Kent State University as Director Emeritus of Resource Analysis and Planning.  George bowled for the Kent State Faculty-Staff Bowling League and the Cuyahoga Falls Church Bowling League. An avid collector, George’s collections of Northeast Ohio Breweriana and Silver Lake Park were renowned. George was a member of the Breweriana Collectors Club of America and a charter member of the American Breweriana Assocaition.         Friends are invited to Redmon Funeral Home for visitation Monday 4 to 7 PM. Private Interment.