Stories

Honoured by the Watling children.

Thank you for purchasing a leaf for your family and for supporting your future Waterfront Park.  Story to follow.

Honoured by Karen & Murray Wickett and Rod & Lynda Wickett.

Clarence (Charlie) Wickett
1911-1992

Better known to family and friends as “Charlie”, Clarence Nathaniel Wickett was an extraordinary man who lived an ordinary life.  Born in Cobalt, he grew up in New Liskeard, the oldest child of seven.  Charlie’s father cooked in lumber and mining camps and was away for long periods of time, so Charlie was his mother’s main helper.  In fact, helping others became the central theme of his life.

In banks and brokerage houses, Charlie trained to become an accountant and as a young man, married Alice McNeill in 1936.  By 1944, with two sons, Rodney and Murray, the family moved to North Bay where Charlie worked for National Grocers as the accountant for the next thirty-three years.  When he reached the age of sixty-five, he was offered the position of provincial auditor, but only agreed after he was given approval to bring his wife, Alice along.  For the next six years they travelled the province so Charlie could audit the books.

For more than fifty years of marriage, Charlie cared for his semi-invalid wife, handling not only his full time career but also raising his two sons and dealing with all the usual household challenges.

It was important for him to teach his sons financial responsibility, so when Rodney wanted to buy his first set of drums at age fourteen, his dad marched him down to a bank to set up a loan.  A few years later, Murray made the same trek with his father to arrange the financing for his first car.  In later years, Dad Wickett became the bank for his children and grandchildren, loaning out money, at a very low interest rate, and recording everything in his little black book.  Nuggets of financial advice were free.

Capturing the essence of Dad Wickett in a few words is very difficult.  Honourable, compassionate and wise, everyone relied upon him.  Even as a child, his mother, brothers and little sisters all called on Clarence for support.  For the other employees at the National and for the owners of the small grocery stores that they serviced, Charlie Wickett became the man to go to when help was needed.  Always willing to stop in when required, it was his immediate family who benefited the most from his generosity.

His oldest grandchild, Shannon, lived with him for a year after Alice died.  She was attending college and “Grandpa Wickett’s” house became the place to hang out and eat the homemade pizzas that he created.  Brent, his youngest grandchild, remembers the love he always felt from his grandfather, and Erin and Derek, his other two grandchildren, treasure memories of confiding in him.  When troubled, Grandpa Wickett was a safe refuge.

Honourable, kind and loving, Clarence Wickett was a hero in his family’s eyes.  A gentle soul, yet the devilish glint in his eyes bespoke of his quiet humour.  He worked hard, raised a family, contributed to church and community:  A man to be emulated.

Honoured by their children

Both Don and Diane (Cooper) were born and raised in North Bay.  Although the Wallaces and the Coopers were well acquainted, and often socialized together, Don and Diane did not spend much time together until they both attended Algonquin Composite School in North Bay, where they were high school sweethearts.  They married in 1972.

Don Wallace is the third son of George and Sybil Wallace.  He enjoyed growing up in North Bay, and has many fond memories of the backyard hockey rink on Campbell Avenue.  Don left North Bay to attend university at Glendon College (York University) and then received his law
degree from Osgoode Hall in Toronto.  He returned to North Bay to article at the family law practice, then called Wallace & Carr.

Don was called to the Bar in 1975 and has practiced family law and civil litigation in North Bay ever since.  In addition to his private practice, Don is a Children’s Aid Counsel, the Chairman of the Nipissing Legal Aid Committee and the President of the Nipissing Law Association.

Don has always been active in the community in North Bay.  Throughout the years he has been involved with the North Bay Apollo Gymnastics Club, the North Bay Granite Club and Montessori Children’s House, however hockey remains his true passion.  Don has coached many teams and
served in several different Board of Directors roles with West Ferris Minor Hockey over the past 25 years.  He has played Old-timers Hockey for even longer with the Ill Eagles, and continues to
play and manage the team.

Diane Cooper is the third daughter of Jack and Lois Cooper.  She grew up in North Bay and spent many wonderful summers at the Cooper family cottage on Trout Lake.  Diane attended both Queen’s University and the University of Toronto, earning a Masters in Social Work.  She returned to North Bay and pursued a diverse career in social work that took her through the Children’s
Aid Society, private practice, North Bay General Hospital and the North-East Mental Health Centre.

Diane has also been an active figure in the community and has been involved with the Community Waterfront Friends, the North Bay Waste Resources Advisory Committee, North Bay Apollo Gymnastics Club and North Bay Humane Society.

In spite of all these demands on their time, Don and Diane have always made family life a priority.  They and their three children (Kelly, Christy and Greg) have enjoyed many, many summers at the Lake Talon cottage, as well as family trips to Florida and skiing in Collingwood.  They can often be seen skiing to the cottage, rollerblading along the Kate Pace Way and ballroom dancing.

Thank you mom and dad, for everything you have done for us all!

Love Kelly, Christy & Greg