february 2009 issue
Obituaries
George Henry Cornish, P.Eng.
APEGGA Life Member
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George Cornish, P.Eng., the former chief commissioner of the City of Calgary, passed away quietly Jan. 7 after a long battle with lung cancer. He was 77.
During an illustrious career with the city, he rose from being a streetlight engineer to, in 1981, its top staff position. He retired from the city in 1989.
Mr. Cornish was involved in many projects that would benefit the city he grew up in. Among them were the creation of the CTrain system and Nose Hill Park, and the staging of the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Born and raised in Calgary, Mr. Cornish earned a degree in electrical engineering from the University of British Columbia. He went on to become the first chair of ENMAX, and in 1984 won a distinguished service award from the Illuminating Engineering Society.
An APEGGA life member, he also served on a variety of boards in the Calgary area.
Retirement did not slow him down. Though Mr. Cornish always found time for his family, spending many happy hours at the family cottage with his wife, children and grandchildren, the larger community of Calgary was very important to him as well.
Mr. Cornish is survived by his wife, a daughter, two sons and four grandchildren. Memorial tributes may be sent to the Alberta Cancer Foundation, care of the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. A tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park in his memory.