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Friends, colleagues remember ex-mayor

HUBBARD — George P. Praznik, who served as a city councilman and mayor for the city of Hubbard, has died. He was 87.

Praznik was born in Hubbard and grew up in his childhood home on Drummond Avenue.

He was residing at Hamilton Trace Senior Living in Fishers, Ind., when he lost his battle with cancer and died May 12.

After retirement from Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, where he worked for more than 38 years, Praznik served the community of Hubbard in elected office, first as a councilman at-Large, then president of council and later was elected mayor. He served as mayor from 1996 to 2003.

He was a two-year veteran of the U.S. Army and was a longtime and active member of such local groups as the Lions Club and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Hubbard Mayor Ben Kyle said when his father, Tim Kyle, was chief of the local volunteer fire department, he served with Praznik.

“I always remember my dad telling me that Mayor Praznik had the utmost respect for the safety forces and always wanted to work toward having a safe community. He told me Mayor Praznik was a good public servant who always worked toward improving the quality of life for the residents of Hubbard,” Ben Kyle said.

Girard Mayor James Melfi also spoke highly or Praznik.

“Mayor Praznik was a good man. He and I attended many meetings together when the mayors of the area came together. He was great to work with and we often had discussions on projects that we had similar interest on,” Melfi said.

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