George Carl Donzella Jr.

George Carl Donzella Jr. was a natural leader whose winning presence allowed him to take control of various situations with ease. He had the ability to make even routine situations seem exciting, and he was at ease with the role of playing problem solver. George always sought out the scene of where the action was. Sociable, analytical and pleasant, George was an individual who enjoyed life’s challenges.

      George was born on October 16, 1962 at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York. His parents were George C. Donzella and Anne E. Hynes. George was raised in Valley Cottage, NY and Fort Lauderdale, FL. Always able to express himself well, George possessed strong interpersonal skills. He was optimistic in his outlook on life and was able at all times to be open and direct in his communication. Armed with a great wit, George was raised to be accepting of others and to implement a strong personal work ethic.

From earliest childhood, little Georgie ("Chinch" to his mom) was known for his aggressively charismatic personality and devilish ways. Indeed, when he was only five years old, a neighbor lady approached his mother in the grocery store and asked, "Aren't you Georgie Donzella's mother?" Before Anne could answer, the neighbor declared, "I just want to tell you, that kid is going to be the most successful businessman in the world, OR the most successful crook!"

His frenetic energy made George a natural born salesman. As a teenager and young adult, he sold timeshare properties on Fort Lauderdale beach, where he was known to his colleagues as "Brash". He spent a number of years managing various nightclubs, including the Musician's Exchange. In his later years, he would excel as a car salesman at KIA and at Life Alert, his final job.

Throughout George's admittedly "checkered" past, he made dozens of lifelong friends from every imaginable walk of life, friends who remember him as a true brother, loyal to the end.

George loved life as did few others. He was at his happiest living by the beach, where he rode his bike almost daily. Or when he skied down a mountain in Colorado or Utah. He was also a fanatical music lover, attending concerts well into his fifties. Some of favorites were the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Queen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimi Hendrix and Johnny and Edgar Winter, among others. In fact, George's job at Musicians Exchange enabled him to hire the band "War" to perform at his own wedding.

Another huge passion of George's was traveling. He was not content simply to explore North America (indeed, he visited most of the 50 states, Canada and Mexico); he also traveled to Europe, China and even Morocco, as the photos in the video will prove. He was truly a "life junkie", treating each day as a large grapefruit from which to squeeze every last ounce of juice. How we will miss that!

       As a young child, George showed his creative ability in many ways. He was outgoing and animated. George enjoyed new activities and pursued a variety of interests. He took part in baseball in elementary school; football in high school. Little League at Floranada Elementary in Fort Lauderdale. In his spare time he liked to play with GI Joe and Fort Apache. By age 5, George was an accomplished charmer and an inveterate liar.

When the goal of college was in sight, his direct, “down to earth” approach served him well. He was able to absorb complex concepts and had an acute sense of how things worked. He attended Broward Community College for about 18 months.

       Friends and acquaintances found George an easy man to get to know, and those close to him would often praise his open, practical style of communication and relaxed approach to life in general. George was uncomplicated and straightforward in his relationships, which allowed him to accept people for what they were. While growing up, some of his best friends were Dan Taylor, Rocky Lee, Pat O'Laughlin, Tommy Arnst and Victor Levin. Later in life, he became friends with Peter "Picky Pete" Foxwell, Brian Cook and Pete Tomasetti, among many others.

       On March 11, 2000 George exchanged wedding vows with Kim Marie Sutherland at the Stranahan House of Fort Lauderdale, FL.

George was a flexible worker who was able to draw the best from others around him. A persuasive individual who was quick to make necessary decisions, George’s strengths included being able to think on his feet. He could be a leader who sought impact for his decisions. He was a good negotiator who enjoyed new challenges. George could multi-task, and he was endowed with entrepreneurial spirit, allowing him to think beyond standard norms when it came to resolving issues in his work environment. George was a natural born salesman, with his gift of gab: Timeshare, Car salesman, Nightclub manager, among other professions.

       His favorite pursuits were bicycle riding on the beach, concerts with 1970s music, reading about world history. He was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others. Additionally, travel and vacations were experiences that George truly enjoyed. Favorite vacations included China, Morocco with Anthony, Colorado and Utah for skiing. He lived in Toronto for about 2 years.

George was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. One of George’s favorites was George was a great lover of dogs. He was shattered when they died. Snoopy, Boo-Boo, Caesar and especially Bella. Favorite cat was Leon, or Lee-Lee.

    After years of struggle with addiction, George passed away on October 26, 2020. He is survived by his mother Anne Hynes Donzella; sisters Elizabeth and Suzanne, brother-in-law David Falkenstrom; niece Anna. A memorial service was held at Kraeer/Fairchild Funeral Home in Fort Lauderdale. Per George's wishes, some of his ashes were scattered in Colorado.

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George C. Donzella, Jr., resident of South Florida since 1969, passed away in Oakland Park on Monday, October 26, 2020, ten days after his 58th birthday.

George was born in Sleepy Hollow (Westchester County), New York, in 1962. He was the fourth child born to Anne (Hynes) and George C. Donzella, following two sisters, Elizabeth and Denise, and an older brother who had died shortly after birth. His youngest sister Suzanne would complete the family. In 1969, at the age of six and a half, George moved with his family to Fort Lauderdale and started school at Floranada Elementary as a second grader. He played on the baseball team while his mother and sister helped serve refreshments.

From earliest childhood, little Georgie ("Chinch" to his mom) was known for his aggressively charismatic personality and devilish ways. Indeed, when he was only five years old, a neighbor lady approached his mother in the grocery store and asked, "Aren't you Georgie Donzella's mother?" Before Anne could answer, the neighbor declared, "I just want to tell you, that kid is going to be the most successful businessman in the world, OR the most successful crook!"

His frenetic energy made George a natural born salesman. As a teenager and young adult, he sold timeshare properties on Fort Lauderdale beach, where he was known to his colleagues as "Brash". He spent a number of years managing various nightclubs, including the Musician's Exchange. In his later years, he would excel as a car salesman at KIA and at Life Alert, his final job.

Throughout George's admittedly "checkered" past, he made dozens of lifelong friends from every imaginable walk of life, friends who remember him as a true brother, loyal to the end.

George loved life as did few others. He was at his happiest living by the beach, where he rode his bike almost daily. Or when he skied down a mountain in Colorado or Utah. He was also a fanatical music lover, attending concerts well into his fifties. Some of favorites were the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Queen, Lynyrd Skynrd, Jimi Hendrix and Johnny and Edgar Winter, among others. In fact, George's job at Musicians Exchange enabled him to hire the band "War" to perform at his wedding.

Another huge passion of George's was traveling. He was not content simply to explore North America (indeed, he visited most of the 50 states, Canada and Mexico); he also traveled to Europe, China and even Morocco, as the photos in the video will prove. He was truly a "life junkie", treating each day as a large grapefruit from which to squeeze every last ounce of juice. How we will miss that!

George Donzella is survived by his mother, Anne Hynes Donzella; sisters Elizabeth Donzella and Suzanne (David) Falkenstrom; niece, Anna Grace Falkenstrom and his maternal uncle, Denis J. Hynes. Also many first and second cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, George C. Donzella Sr. and his sister Denise Donzella, as well as his grandparents and numerous aunts and uncles.

Please join us for a celebration of George's life on Saturday, November 7, 2020. Kraeer Fairchild Funeral Home, 4061 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale FL 33308. The visitation/gathering will begin at 12 Noon, followed by a memorial service at 2:00pm, officiated by brother-in-law David Falkenstrom. A reception will follow the service, featuring George's favorite music from the 70s and 80s. It is the best tribute we can offer him. Please wear a mask in the funeral home.

If you cannot attend in person, we will be livestreaming the service. Simply pull up your Facebook page and type in Kraeer Fairchild Funeral Home.