HAY RIVER - George Whitlock - probably best known as co-owner of the Norweta tourist vessel on the Mackenzie River - has died.

George Whitlock, former manager of the Hay River Airport and co-owner of the Norweta tourist boat, died on Dec. 9. - photo courtesy of the Whitlock family

Whitlock died on Dec. 9 at the age of 77 in Cochrane, Alta.

"I'd say he was definitely a true Northerner," said his son Greg, one of Whitlock's three children.

George Whitlock was born in Fort Simpson to an English father - who came North as a game warden with the federal government - and a Metis mother, a member of the large and prominent Lafferty clan.

His family moved to Hay River when he was 17 and he went right to work at the airport, which was then a much smaller version of today's facility.

Greg Whitlock said his father's first job at the airport was clearing land for a larger runway, and afterwards he stayed on as the airport maintainer and equipment operator.

In all, George Whitlock would spend 37 years at the airport, including 15 years as foreman and a decade as airport manager before retiring in 1987.

"He saw it grow from basically nothing to what it is today," Greg said of his father's time at the airport. Greg added a street at the airport is actually named Whitlock Street in honour of his father, he said, although there is no sign indicating that designation.

Whitlock said his father was very proud of his work at the airport, adding he received a certificate from the federal government in 1988 for 37 years of loyal service.

Joe McBryan, president of Buffalo Airways, first met George Whitlock in 1961 when Whitlock was running a flying club and moving up at the airport.

"He was a very good manager of the airport," McBryan said, adding Whitlock had a real good feel for the needs of the travelling public and also an understanding of the requirements of aviation companies.

"Of course, George kept everything in tip-top shape," McBryan recalled, adding that was probably because of his experience as an equipment operator.

"He was sort of the nucleus, the glue that kept everything together."

In 1990, when Whitlock was 58, he, his wife, Margaret, and son Greg bought the tour boat Norweta - a 103-foot, steel-hulled cruise ship.

"Basically, he was still pretty young for not doing anything," his son said. "He still wanted to remain active."

Operating out of Hay River, the Norweta took tourists - up to 18 at a time - to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake for a couple of summers, and then switched to cruising up the Mackenzie River.

After George and Margaret Whitlock retired to Cochrane, Alta., in 1994, they would still come North every May to operate the Norweta during the tourist season.

"They lived on the ship all summer," Greg recalled.

George Whitlock enjoyed meeting different people from all over the world, his son said.

"He was quite the storyteller," Greg added, adding tourists enjoyed his father's tales of growing up in the North before many of the modern changes, such as highways.

McBryan said George Whitlock had a lot of personality for dealing with people, and was a very likeable guy.

"That's why he was successful in tourism," McBryan said. "He could relate to people."

The last season for the Norweta was 2008, after which the Whitlock family put the vessel up for sale, where it remains.

One of the reasons the Norweta venture ended was George Whitlock was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease which was the cause of his passing.

A celebration of Whitlock's life will take place in Cochrane on Dec. 15.