Calgary Highlander, World War II veteran Cpl. George Morasch dies at 102

One of Calgary’s oldest veterans died earlier this week.

102-year-old Cpl. George A. Morasch, a proud member of the Calgary Highlanders who served in World War II, passed Monday at the Colonel Belcher Retirement Residence, where he’d lived since 2023, according to an online obituary.

Morasch enlisted in the Canadian Army in 1942 after the outbreak of the Second World War.

He was first posted to England before being deployed to Normandy, France with the Highlanders on July 6, 1944.

During an operation to capture Hill 67 outside of Caen, France, Morasch was injured.

He eventually recovered and went on to serve in Normandy, Belgium, Holland, and later as part of the Army of Occupation into Germany. From there, he went to London, England to work in a wing of the pay office befor being discharged to civilian life.

Morasch farmed for a bit before moving on to work for ATB. There, he met his wife of more than 50 years, Fern, who passed in 2020.

Retired major Kent Griffiths tells CityNews that it was Fern who eventually helped Morasch deal with war-related PTSD, helping convince him to return to Europe and begin speaking about his experiences again.

Since then, he spent time educating others in the losses incurred during the Second World War that led to many of today’s worldly freedoms, according to his obituary. He also spoke at many public ceremonies and at schools.

Morasch represented Canadian veterans at various events overseas, including the commemoration of the liberation of the Netherlands in May 2025.

He is set to be laid to rest on March 14 at the Mausoleum at Queen’s Park alongside his wife. Members of The Calgary Highlanders will be active and honourary pallbearers.

A funeral mass and reception will follow at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in NW Calgary. More information can be found here.

In lieu of flowers, donations toward the repair of the roof of the Royal Canadian Legion’s No. 1 Branch in downtown Calgary are requested.