W. George Ponader Jr

Mar 21, 1919 - Nov 12, 1993

CANOVA BEACH — W. George Ponader Jr., 74, a retired lead mechanic for Boeing Services International, died Friday at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Mr. Ponader came to Brevard County in 1951 and lived at Canova Beach until 1984, when he moved to Silver Springs. He worked for Northrup, Pan Am and Boeing before retiring in 1982. "He never met a stranger," said his daughter, Charlotte Posey of Floresville, Texas. "He said hi to everybody. He was a CB nut and met a lot of people through the radio. Then, when he was traveling, he would stop and visit them."

Mr. Ponader worked in residential construction in his native South Bend, Ind., and built homes for his family and his father when he first came to Brevard. He built and owned the Gaylan apartments on East Eau Gallie Causeway, where Causeway Mower is now. He also built and owned a restaurant, George's Bulldog House, from 1955 to 1957 that was a popular hangout for Melbourne High School students. Mr. Ponader loved to fish and won several trophies. He traveled to 48 states and Canada with his wife in their motorhome. He once owned an appliance store.

He enjoyed bowling and was a volunteer in the YMCA Indian guide program. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of American Legion Post 163 in Melbourne.

Besides Posey, survivors include his wife of 52 years, Martha Ponader of Silver Springs; son, W. George Ponader III of Indialantic; daughters, Charlynn Mahone of Indialantic and Cathleen Frazier and Candee Alexander, both of Melbourne; and grandchildren, Heather Frazier, Ryan George Alexander and Melissa Alexander, all of Melbourne.

Calling hours will be 5 to 7 p.m. today at Florida Memorial Funeral Home, north of Melbourne. Services will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Donations may be made to the Central Brevard Humane Society, South Brevard Shelter, 2861 Electronics Drive, Melbourne, FL 32935. 

Sources: Ancestry.com, Newspapers.com and FindAGrave.com

07/23/2025 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/110605623/william-%22george%22-ponader