Category: C

Keith Campbell

Honoured by CBACH (Coordinating Body Arts Culture Heritage) with a Lifetime Achievement in Arts Award 2014.

Keith Campbell has been described as positive, energetic, forceful and resourceful in the way he goes about getting things to happen. As a driving force in the arts he has helped to build and develop the arts and culture community since 1977. Keith is a founding member of the WKP Kennedy Gallery and the White Water Gallery. He was a professor at Canadore College in the Crafts and Design Program whose graduates from that program went on to open craft studios, develop the North Bay Art & Craft Co-op and the blooming craft market. North Bay has always been the center for craft in North Eastern Ontario because of Canadore Colleges Crafts and Design Program and the Summer School of the Arts: Artsperience.

Keith was one of a handful of artists that advised Canadore College to start a Summer School of the Arts that drew instructors and students from around the world. The summer school was called “Artsperience” that had a free evening “Art Talk” series so that the North Bay Community as well as the summer school could experience more arts and culture. Keith was the director of this incredible school for 25 years. Keith, with his positive dynamic personality, was able to talk such artists as Ken Danby, Robert Bateman, David Blackwood, Patterson Ewen, Greg Curnoe, Ted Fullerton, Lynn Johnston, Joy Kagawa, Anne Michaels, Al Purdy, Susan Warner Keene, Ed Eng, David Lewis, and others into being part of this fabulous experience.

He has arranged for a number of provincial Conferences in Clay to be held in North Bay as well as exhibitions. At present he is the President of the North Bay and Area Potters Guild. He has always led by example as a model of a successful creative artist working with his community. As a professional craftsperson he has exhibited his work in over 280 exhibitions nationally and internationally with 56 awards/honours bestowed on him to date. These honours include induction into the Niagara Falls Arts & Culture Wall of Fame, the John and Barbara Mather Medal Award for Lifetime Achievement, awarded the 125^th Anniversary of Confederation of Canada Medal, the title of “Elder” by Fusion: The Clay and Glass Association of Ontario, honoured by Canadore College with the title “Artist in Residence Emeritus” as well as twice being a finalist in the Premier’s Award of Excellence in the Arts in 2010 & 2014. His works are in numerous collections including the Archives of Ontario, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Canadian Museum of History, the Nickle Arts Museum, etc. Keith’s works are included in 27 texts and he has conducted 50 workshops/lectures across Canada during his career of 44 years as a professional artist.

Roland Champagne, the only son of George and Dianera (nee Voyer), was born in August 1928. He was raised in Corbeil along with his five sisters.

Cecile Sabourin, daughter of Hector and Flora (nee Gratton) was born in May 1926. She was raised on the family farm on Wasi Road in Callander with her four siblings.

Roland and Cecile met at a local dance hall and after a short courtship they were married on September 27th, 1950. As their family expanded, they purchased their first home in 1953 at 612 Highland Road in the former Widdifield Township and lived there until their passing.

Roland worked as a Railway Carman at the Ontario Northland Railway for 36 years until he retired in 1987. Cecile was a great homemaker who enjoyed sewing for family and friends as well as gardening, baking and putting together awesome home-cooked meals. They both loved the great outdoors. Camping, fishing, snowmobiling and ATVing were some of the activities they both enjoyed and Roland also enjoyed hunting in the fall. They enjoyed playing various card games with family and friends.

Family was very important to them; they had raised their four children with strong morals, family values and great work ethics all of which have been instilled into the next generation.

We chose the number 612 for their commemorative leaf to remind us of our roots, where family get-togethers and fun was enjoyed for many years. It is where we still have fond memories of growing up.

The home has remained in the family, their daughter Paulette and her husband Vern have purchased the house where we all still gather.

Rest in Peace Mom and Dad until we meet again!

Love Suzanne, Paulette, Carole, Normand and families!

Gordon Caley & Muriel (Windsor) Caley

Honoured by their daughter, Shirley Windsor (Caley) Elliott.

This leaf was presented to Shirley and J.C. “Dinty”Elliott on their 70^th wedding anniversary on the 20^th of February, 2013 by the Elliott family at a dinner at Churchill’s Restaurant in North Bay.

Gordon Allen Caley was born on 5^th October, 1886 in Barriedale, Ontario (near Sundridge, ON) to Thomas William Caley and Mary Ann (Quayle) Caley, the ninth of ten children.  Thomas emigrated with his family from the Isle of Man about 1870 to Cleveland, Ohio, USA, then farmed in Southampton, ON; Barriedale, ON; Nipissing Junction before moving to North Bay, ON, where he and most of his family were employed by the Temiskaming and Northern Ontario Railway.

Gordon and two brothers followed the construction of the Railway to Latchford, where they founded a hardware store. Unfortunately the store burned down and Gordon returned to the T & N O to B & B Dept., to construct several stations in the North.  As a patriotic Canadian, he enlisted in the Canadian Army in WWI, and served in France, including the Battle of Paschendale.  On his return to Canada and North Bay, he went back to the T & N O, now the Ontario Northland Railway, as a coach carpenter in the North Bay Shops, until his retirement at age 65.  He enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, games of cards, such as 500 and was a skilled carpenter and handyman.

Gordon married Maude Muriel Windsor in Callander, ON on the 2^nd October, 1922, and the couple built a house at 236 Second Avenue East in North Bay, where they lived the rest of their lives raising a family of four daughters – Shirley, Wilma, Patricia, and Daintry.  They were loving and caring parents as they provided for their needs – there always seemed to be a bicycle that needed repairs!

Maude Muriel Windsor was born in Callander, ON on 1^st May, 1898, the fifth of ten children of Frederick Windsor and Emma (Berry) Windsor of Callander, ON.  Frederick was a steamboat engineer on the tug “Sparrow”, owned by the J. B. Smith Lumber Company, operating on Lake Nipissing.

Growing up in Callander, Muriel took part in local programs, and several times, paired with a girlfriend, won the Cup for skating and home-made costumes. After her marriage, she was content to spend her time and talents making a comfortable, happy home for Gordon and their four daughters, including designing and sewing clothes for the girls.

Gordon passed away on 18^th February, 1954, and Muriel passed away on 25^th April, 1962, both in North Bay, ON and were buried in the Terrace Lawn Cemetery in North Bay.

The world around us is much better place because of the love and devotion of our parents.

Thank you for purchasing a Leaf of Inspiration in support of  Community Waterfront Park project.

Honoured by Marg & Gerry Gaiser

Thank  you for honouring Earl Hamden Craig with a Leaf of Inspiration and for supporting your Community Waterfront Park project.  Story to follow.

Dr. J.B. Carruthers

Honoured by his grandnieces Beth Palmer Snyder and Carol Speers Ricci

Dr. James Benjamin Carruthers was born in 1851 in Dumfries, Scotland.  His parents were Benjamin and Margaret.  He was the youngest of seven children and came over to Ontario with the family about 1870.  He married Mary Ann Thompson in 1880 in Georgetown, Ontario.  They had eight children, two born in the Barrie area and the younger six in North Bay, Ontario.

In the 1870’s, James Benjamin taught at the Barrie Central School for a while then became principal of the West Ward School, also in Barrie.  While there, he was the leader of the Presbyterian Church Choir and played in the Philharmonic Society.  He left the teaching profession to go back to school in Toronto, and graduated as a medical doctor and afterward he and his family moved to North Bay.  He was one of the pioneer doctors in North Bay and was a member of the 1^st North Bay Medical Fraternity in 1886.  In 1895 he was the Mayor of North Bay.

In 1898 he was a member of the first North Bay Presbytery and in 1899 was president of the Building Committee for the new Presbyterian Church, St. Andrews where he was in the choir.  He was active in preparing and laying of the corner stone of the church, August 15, 1904.  He was one of the first members of the organization, The Sons of Scotland.  Dr. Carruthers founded the first ecumenical choir in North Bay which became known as the Choral Union in 1907 and eventually became known by its’ present name, the North Bay Choral Society.  He served on the Public School Board for many years and the Dr. Carruthers Public School was named in his honour.

Dr. Carruthers died in 1904 while out on a call to a patient.  He and his wife are buried in the Union Cemetery, North Bay.

Respectfully submitted by grandnieces, Beth Palmer Snyder and Carol Speers Ricci

Honoured by her family.

Thank you for honouring Stephanie with a Leaf of Inspiration and for supporting your Community Waterfront Park project. Story to follow.

Honoured by their Family.

Thank you for honouring your parents and for supporting your Community Waterfront Park project. Story to follow.

Honoured by their Family.

Thank you honouring Sebastiano and Antonia with a Leaf of Inspiration and for supporting your Community Waterfront Park project. Story to follow.

This leaf is dedicated to Roland and Meimi Charette by their adoring family.

Roland and Meimi were born and raised in North Bay. Roland was the youngest of 12 children. Meimi was an only child. They met, fell in love and got married July 15, 1950.

Roland was the proud business owner of Desilets and Charette Plumbing and Heating, until he retired at the age of 62. Meimi worked alongside him in the office as their bookkeeper.

In addition to them being hard working and successful, they created a family of three beautiful daughters, Louise, Anne and Carole. Roland and Meimi taught their daughters caring, sharing, fairness and faith. With so much love their family grew to include six grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Over the years, Roland and Meimi have always been supportive through the good and the bad and always without judgment. Being such strong role models, their daughters raised their children with the same morals and values that have continued into the next generation and generations to follow.

We, the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, want to let the community know how much we appreciate our parnets’ hard work, loving ways and dedication to family. There is a saying; ” You learn what you live”. If we all have learned even one thing from the lives these two have lived, we will be better people for it.

Your loving family,
We love you.