Roderic S. Johnson

Remembering George Sbalchiero by Rod Johnson

George lived with his family at 114^th and Wentworth, when he attended Fenger.  He was always into cars.  He was a member of the “Roseland Rovers” car club.

He and I used to do projects together, such as rebuilding stick transmissions for “Hot Rodders” who blew 1^st, 2^nd or the sincro.  After school, I worked in a gas station, and was able to use the lift at odd time; this made our projects a lot easier.

After graduation Fenger, George worked at the Railroad Express, in maintenance. After work and on weekends, he would do tune ups on power boats, and cars.

George married Betty a short time later, and purchased a home on 114^th and Wentworth just down from George’s parents. George and Betty had two girls.

George and Betty later moved to Munster Indiana.

George gravitated to fork truck repair.  He worked for a number of companies, before starting his own, GSI that was based in Indiana.

George found a need, developed and sold a power steering unit for very large Clark Fork trucks that Clark did not supply.

George and his future Son-in Law were returning East on I80, from delivering some equipment in Illinois. They hit an icy bridge, started to slide, the trailer they were towing, acted as a pendulum, and swung them around and across the medium where there truck was “T” boned by a cement truck. Both George and his future son-in law were killed.

George was a good friend, more like the brother that I never had.

God bless you George, rest in peace.

Salvador Navarette

GEORGE WAS A GOOD GUY ---SAL NAVARETTE

Raymond A. Rattary

We were both members of the "Roseland Rovers" and George had a pretty fast 1956 Ford. Like Rod said George was a pretty good mechanic. Sorry to hear about George's accident. May he rest in peace.

Ray Rattary