Honoured by Marcia & Barry Pond, Bob Dales and Johanne Blais, Kate and Geoff Cudmore and Peter and June Dales.

Jessie Dales / Pond / Runkle (nee Moore)

Jessie was born February 26, 1923 and raised in North Bay. She was the only child of Edgar and Kate Moore, who were early North Bay pioneers. Jessie was a graduate of North Bay Collegiate Vocational Institute and the University of Toronto.

Jessie was a vibrant, strong woman who enjoyed life. She had many life-long friends in North Bay and Sault Ste Marie, who she supported and were supportive of her. Her happy ringing laughter was an easily identified trademark of Jessie. After family, her greatest love was golf. An avid and accomplished golfer, she enjoyed competition and took particular joy in winning the Grandmother’s Cup.

Jessie met and married her first spouse Bob Dales, a Civil Engineer and a keen golfer, at the North Bay Golf Club in 1949. Katie, the eldest of their children is married to Geoffrey Cudmore and they have two children, Peter Cudmore (spouse Sarah and son Damien) and Edgar Cudmore (spouse Paula, children Charlotte and Gregory). The middle child Robert Dales is married to Johanne Blais and they have three children, daughters Laurence and Julia, and son Philippe. Jessie’s youngest, Peter together with June Dales have two children, Lily and Lincoln.

After Bob Dales unfortunate death in an automobile accident in 1961, Jessie raised her young family on her own. Initially she worked as a supply teacher at Widdifield Secondary School, but found her true calling as North Bay’s first female real estate agent – which she excelled at!

Later in North Bay, Jessie met Larry Pond, a young widower, while playing bridge. They subsequently married in 1968 and she fully embraced Larry’s son, Barry as her own. Together with his spouse Marcia, they have two daughters, Erin and Allyson. Jessie and Larry later moved to Sault Ste Marie where Larry started a new career as a secondary school teacher. She enjoyed her time in the Sault meeting new friends, winning golf tournaments, volunteering with Meals-On-Wheels and Telecare, and closing real estate deals.

After Larry’s death in 1980 Jessie returned to North Bay, again a widow.

In later years while wintering in Cape Coral, Florida Jessie met and married Lewis Runkle. They lived in North Bay in the summer and enjoyed their years together travelling, playing golf and visiting friends and family.

Jessie spent the last years of her life living close to her son Bob in Ottawa and her daughter Katie in Belleville Ontario. She died November 15, 2005 and is buried at Terrace Lawn Cemetery in North Bay.

Honoured by Shirley Priolo.

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

Honoured by Christian and Christine Fortin.

Patrick’s Story

Patrick was born in Kapuskasing, on June 26th, 1978, and was diagnosed a severe hemophiliac. To manage his bleeding disorder, Patrick required bi-weekly Factor VIII infusions. In the early to mid 1980s, the Canadian blood supply was contaminated with the HIV virus and as a result, Patrick was diagnosed HIV positive in February of 1986, at the age of 7.

Being a talented athlete, gifted musician and student of life, Patrick’s childhood was filled with activities that were enjoyed to the fullest. As the disease advanced through Patrick’s teenage years, his positive outlook, courage, determination, through adversity, and humour inspired everyone he met.

Patrick’s HIV status remained undisclosed for 10 years. In 1995, Patrick chose to reveal his HIV status to family and friends and received acceptance and support.

Patrick found courage and used his story to educate and help others become aware of the disease. Students in North Bay cherish their memories of Patrick; the young man with AIDS who broke down stigmas and myths with facts.

In 2001, Patrick died of AIDS, but his legacy remains.  After Patrick’s death, his parents, Christine and Christian, started training for their first marathon.  Christine and Christian were encouraged by friends to use their running as a way to fundraise for a cause.

The Patrick4Life organization grew out of a desire to honour the life of Patrick Fortin, to specifically communicate the desires of Patrick`s dream – ZERO AIDS – and to address the many challenges associated with HIV. Patrick’s wish at every birthday and at each full moon was: A CURE FOR AIDS.

Patrick was proud to be Canadian and would be proud that through his enduring spirit, we continue to raise AIDS awareness in our communities.

Honoured by Vivian Payne

George Ambrose Payne was born in Kingston, Ontario in 1932, where he grew up at 597  Johnson Street. He was surrounded by his extensive family, many of whom lived in their own houses in the neighbourhood. He jokes that he couldn’t have been an unruly youth if he tried because there was an auntie or a second cousin on every corner who would see what he was up to and report on him.

He has many happy memories of summers with his cousins on Wolfe Island, including riding Bessie (an old draft horse) to visit his first girlfriend on a farm on the other side of the island. The horse was so old and slow that by the time he got to the girl’s house, it was time for him to turn back and head for home. He remembers learning to drive at age 12  when his aunt gave him the car keys and told him to take his Uncle his lunch. He protested that he didn’t know how to drive, but his Aunt just said, “You’ll learn”, and he did, bouncing in an old stick shift truck across the fields.

His father, Llewellyn, was an independent contractor and built many homes in downtown Kingston, most of which are still being enjoyed by families today. George often worked side-by-side with his father and so came into his later interest in engineering quite naturally. The Great Depression was tough on George’s family but he remembers they always had food on the table. George remembers many out of work men coming to their back door looking for work in exchange for a meal , and that his mother Clara always found something for them to do before giving them a hearty meal. He asked her once why she just didn’t give them food and send them on their way.  She told him that these men needed their pride as much as they needed food. Perhaps this was the source of George’s strong social ethic.

After the Depression came World War II. George was just a child, but he remembers the tension in the house, sitting at the radio with his parents, listening to news reports, and worrying about his older brother Bill who was a pilot with the RCAF. He remembers one very happy night in the  middle of the war. The family hadn’t known where Bill was for weeks due to security black-outs on information. They were very worried, especially during one very intense battle period and listened to the radio anxiously before going to bed exhausted.  One night, there was a noise downstairs. They thought it was a break-in. It wasn’t. It was Bill, home on leave, crawling in clumsily through a window. Bill was George’s childhood hero, and you could say that Bill remained a hero to George for his whole life.

Looking back to George’s early life, it is not so surprising that he became the man he became, the man that his family is honouring in this memorial project.

George graduated from Queen’s University in 1956, with a degree in Engineering.  Long fascinated
by trains, he broke the family tradition of staying in the Kingston area and moved to Toronto
to work for the Toronto Terminal Railways. Possibly his only unmet objective in his long career was one of his first tasks with the TTR which was to try to find a way to keep pigeons from nesting over the doors at Union Station. George tried, and so have hundreds of others over the years, but still the pigeons roost. With the Ontario Northland Railway, he waged a similar sort of battle
with beavers throughout his career.

George went from Toronto to Sudbury to work with the CPR. By now, he had started his family and had two daughters, Lori and Teri, and he passed on his love of trains to them by taking them to work with him when he could. His third daughter, Cyndi, was born in North Bay, shortly after George started to work for the ONR in 1962 as Engineer Maintenance of Way. Life was good in the
house at 780 Copeland Street, but George seemed destined to live through complex times. He remembers vividly the night President Kennedy was in the nuclear stand-off with Kruschev, aka the Cuban Missile crisis. Neighbors and friends gathered at his house to watch the TV and to worry together about their possible imminent fate.  Remember, North Bay was a NORAD missile site, and would have been a target in a nuclear attack. Throughout the long night of tears and fears, George consoled and reassured. It has always been his way to stay calm in a crisis, to think about others, and to help find a solution to whatever problem. One can only imagine his sense of helplessness on that bleak night, and the helplessness felt by millions of North Americans.

In 1969, after having risen to the position of Staff Engineer, George left the ONR to work for a private company, Penvidic Contracting, a Burlington, Ontario company that builds railroad
sections all over the province. With Penvidic, George made many new friends all over the transportation system in North America and gained a varied experience. However, the pull of the north was strong, and in 1973, George returned to North Bay and the ONR as Director of Systems and Planning. In this position, he supervised the building of the new Chief Commanda and the Chi Chi Maun in Owen Sound, pioneered container shipping for Northern Ontario, contributed to the establishment of NorOntAir, and initiated the passenger rail service now known as “The
Northlander”.

In 1996, George retired from the ONR but it cannot be said that he stopped working. He started his own engineering consulting business and he put more time into the many volunteer activities he had already been involved in. He organized  Shrine Circuses and Golf Tournaments which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Shrine Hospitals for Children. He served on the Social Planning Council and helped streamline food bank operations so that all  food banks in North Bay
have equality of access to donations. He sat on the Planning Council to help ensure that planning decisions made sense for the individuals applying and the neighborhoods they lived in. He was a Director of the Chamber of Commerce. He was involved in the moving of the CPR railroad tracks at the waterfront, which is allowing the development of the waterfront that is going on now. He helped design the track for the Heritage Railway. He did the engineering specs for the
walkway that now connects North Bay’s downtown to the shore  of Lake Nipissing.

When you are standing on the waterfront, admiring what it has become, or thinking about what it might become, think of George Payne and the many other volunteers who are working hard to make our waterfront  all it can be.

 

Honoured by Jaclyn Pitman.

My sister Michele had the most genuine, kindest soul.  You couldn’t help being taken in by her charm and cheerful disposition.  Although she was older, Michele would introduce me, with great pride, to anyone in her proximity, as her big sister, a gesture that always warmed my heart.

Daughter to Jack and Marilyn Potvin, Michele was born May 10, 1960 with a congenital heart defect, Von Willebrand disease, and Noonan Syndrome.  From the very beginning this little one found her strength to overcome.  Spending her younger years in and out of Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto, Michele persevered with her strong will and happy spirit in check; a little
stubbornness too!  Although Michele was unable to attend school, she went on to live a normal, loving and fulfilling life.

A social butterfly, Michele mad many new friends along the way.  Bowling was her passion, and since she was so good at it, Michele became part of the ‘Special Olympics’ bowling team. Here is
where she met the love of her life, Jerry Fricker.  Within a short time these two were inseparable.  Paving the way for themselves and others, Jerry and Michele were married September 18, 1999.  A beautiful wedding was celebrated with many family and friends.

The happy couple began life  as husband and wife in their very own apartment, a new-found independence for both.  Every day was an adventure for this very special pair.  They spent all their time together, never wasting a moment.  It was obvious to everyone that they were very much in love.

Sadly on August 1, 2004 at the age of 44, Michele passed away suddenly.  For the ones closest to her, it was a loss that was felt deeply.  Without her, our lives would never be the same.  Who she
was and the love she bestowed upon us, is etched in our hearts for  eternity.

Michele was an inspiration to all who knew and loved her.  An angel disguised as my sister, she taught me about compassion, about myself and about the power of unconditional love.

 

Honoured by Paul Emile Perron.

Philip Perron was born on May 2^nd, 1927, one of sixteen children to Azarias and Clara (nee Guillemette). Philip attended primary school in Astorville, now known as École St-Thomas D’Aquin.  After graduating, Philip became a carpenter by trade, working mostly in the North Bay area and later at the North Bay Airport.

Philip married Bernadette Groulx on May 24, 1948.  They had four boys and two girls.  Shortly after they wed he started his own contracting business.  Later in 1955, he built a shop on the same premises as the family homestead and started manufacturing windows. Gradually he added plywood and lumber for the retail trade.

In the early 1960’s he bought a 22-acre property on the corner of what is now known as Nosbonsing Lake Road and Astorville Road. He then bought a sawmill, moved it, and rebuilt the mill on his newly acquired property. He milled his own lumber to sell at the homestead shop.  In 1966 he built a new store where the mill site was.  He moved into the new location in 1967.  There he added a full line of building and hardware supplies for the retail trade.

Throughout the years the store expanded several times to add more lines, such as paint, plumbing, heating, carpet and linoleum until it became a one-stop shop.  At one time or another all of his children worked in some capacity at the store and construction side of the business.  In the mid 1970’s he ceased the construction side of the business, as the store was getting busier by the year.  In the late 1970’s Philip went into the gravel business.  He had a loader, dozer and dump truck.  Hauling fill and gravel, he also installed septic beds.  This became more of a hobby for him.

In 1983, he sold the business to his son, Paul-Emile Perron, who had been working at the store since 1967.  Paul-Emile’s wife, Liliane joined him to help run the office.  In the early 1990’s after graduating college, their daughter Brigitte and son Ronald joined the family business.  Shortly after, Brigitte’s husband Chris Ranger also took interest and joined them.  This was one of Philip’s dreams, to have the company grow and stay in the family.  Now, we are looking at a fourth generation to help run the family business.

After Philip fully retired he built very fine and exquisite furniture for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Philip Perron was quite the entrepreneur and very successful at all of his business ventures.  The whole family is very proud of him and his accomplishments.  That is why we are honouring him with a leaf of inspiration at the pergola of Community Waterfront Friends.

RAYMOND M. PERREAULT

1955-2009

“You have to fly with the eagles to soar with the eagles. If you fly with the crows you will sit with the crows”

This was one our father’s favourite sayings.  Ray Perreault was an eagle through and through. He learned very early on that hard work and determination are the only ways to get ahead in life. Both he and our mother worked valiantly to instill  this belief in all three of their children. Our father was an extraordinary man and teacher as well as a respected musician who touched the hearts of many. Dad was also  a passionate Harley rider  and led us on many great adventures. He ended his journey, all too quickly, in November of 2009.  His legacy will live on forever in the hearts of his wife and best friend; his children; much loved grandchildren; his students and colleagues as well as all who were lucky enough to have known him.  As an avid visitor of the North Bay Waterfront, Dad would  have been honoured to know that a part of it, even a part as small as a leaf hung on a pergola, has been named just for him.

Forever in our hearts; Suzanne, Lynn, Luc and Marc

Tony Poeta (March 4, 1933 – May 2, 2004)

Tony was the eldest of four children, born to Filomena (Mayme) Demarco and Frank Poeta in North Bay, ON.

Early on in life, Tony discovered his first love…hockey and for that matter all sports. He would pursue his hockey dream with great passion. While chasing his dream, Tony traveled extensively and it was while playing with the Galt Blackhawks that he met his true love, Margaret Rivers. Marg would follow Tony from city to city in their early twenties as Tony pursued his dream. He did fulfill that dream in 1951 while playing in one game with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Tony and Marg were married on April 24, 1954. The following year, Angela, was born, followed by Debbie, Lori and David. As much as Tony loved his hockey and other sports, it was his family, grandchildren and friends that provided him with the most joy. This is quite evident as Tony made friends wherever he set foot, whether it was at the local hockey arena, baseball diamond or on a beach in Florida. Tony had friends worldwide because of his magnificent flair for making others feel welcome in his presence. Family members can all attest to being away from home introducing themselves as a “Poeta”. Quite often, the first words we would hear in return were: “Hey, do you know Tony?”

These words are a true reflection of Tony’s vibrant personality; no matter where he went, he always made himself known through his friendliness, generosity, great sense of humour and caring. All our lives, there was a reflection of that in how our home was a social hub, whether it was for hosting family gatherings at holiday time, billeting young athletes who were in town for tournaments, Sunday afternoon barbeques around the pool or appreciation for the guys who played on teams he sponsored. Tony’s love of sport earned him huge respect in the sporting community.

Tony had strong moral standards and he was an amazing example of true love, honesty, loyalty, integrity and he endeavored to have those around him behave in the same manner.If you did, you would be his friend for life.

A true testament to how much a person means to others is when it is time for others to pay their final respects. A week after celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary with Marg, Tony unfortunately passed on. At his funeral, we saw first-hand how many people actually “knew and respected Tony”. The line up at the funeral home extended beyond the front doors and the church was packed as hundreds of people bid their final farewell.

One of the greatest compliments we ever received was in a card we received after his passing. The message was that Tony’s kindness and love shone through his eyes – and that we also had that shining light in our eyes – we all got that from our Dad, and truly what a beautiful life gift that is!!

Marg, Angela, Debbie, Lori, David

Honoured by Vicky Paine Mantha.

Dr. Donald Thomas Hardy Paine, M.B., B.S., F.R.C.S.(E), F.R.C.S.(C), F.A.C.S., L.M.S.S.A., L.M.C.C., M.C.M.A.

Born July 20, 1921 in London, England, Don achieved academic and athletic excellence early in life. Wartime necessity pushed him from veterinarian school into medical school, and, after surviving, and helping many others survive the London bombings of WWII, he graduated from Guy’s School of Medicine in London. Well established as a proficient surgeon and urologist, Don’s plan was to escape the effects of post-war socialized medicine and economic hardship in England by sailing to Canada in 1956, to start a new life with greater opportunity.

Don arrived in Montreal with wife Barbara and their firstborn son, Richard, on January 1, 1956. Don and Barbara went on to form an inseparable, devoted, and happy partnership for 57 years. When the family settled in North Bay, he provided innovative medical service to Northern Ontarians as an urologist and general surgeon for the next 22 years. Against all odds, Don led the establishment of the Northern Ontario Kidney Dialysis Unit at Civic Hospital, without any initial financial support from the Ministry of Health. The North Bay Dialysis Unit thrives today and for more than 40 years, has extended the lives of many patients.

In 1979, Don and his wife Barbara “escaped” impending socialized medicine for a second time, as he would explain in great detail over the years, moving to South Carolina near Myrtle Beach, where he, and especially Barbara, spent the next 30 years thoroughly enjoying the sun and warmer climate.

He was renowned for his boundless but controlled energy, quick wit, questioning of the status quo, non-political-correctness, and strong vocal opinions on many subjects. He especially loved to expound on his “big C” conservative viewpoints and loved debate. A passionate sailboat racer, he co-founded with Don Rumble the Trout Lake Wayfarer Sailing Fleet that held weekend amateur races in North Bay for 25 years. Don went on to compete in the Wayfarer world championships in 1974 in England with son Nicholas. In all these races, friends and family were never promoted to captaincy!

Known for his feelings about motorboats (“stink pots!”), motorbikes, and the “racket” of rock and roll music, he preferred playing by ear on his grand piano for the enjoyment of others. An avid tennis player until the young age of 87 years, Don was always active, taking up recreational curling and skiing as an adult while living in North Bay. Don thoroughly enjoyed socializing, a good party, and a “tall” glass of single malt.

For many years, Don made a sport of challenging the Ontario Ministry of Health as an active sitting member of the Ontario Medical Association Board, and subsequently, as an honorary lifetime member of the Medical Associations in three countries. He was a proud Rotarian for 40 years, including serving as president of the North Bay Rotary Club in 1972. Don exhibited his strong work ethic in treating his patients seven days a week throughout his medical career in England, Canada and the USA . Earlier in his life, Don enjoyed investing in property and new business ventures. His lifelong stock and options trading pastime “went online” in the mid 1980s and became a primary source of entertainment for him. His favourite advice to all was “Die broke”! Never let the government get their hands on another penny of your money.”

Don was a highly committed family patriarch who relished Christmas gatherings and summer family reunions at the cottage on Trout Lake. There was always a spark in his eyes and a smile on his face as he pontificated to the captive family audience. He was one of a kind, and always pushing family, friends and young professionals to do their best, in whatever their passion or endeavor.

Don passed away January 28, 2011. He will be sorely missed by his surviving wife Barbara, who now resides at Cassellholme in North Bay, and his children Richard (Catherine), Vicky (Ray), Nicholas (Susan), and Penny, and his six grandchildren Max, Alex, Morgan, Hunter, Logan, and Jagger.

Honoured by her Family.

Barbara Josephine Paine was born October 22, 1926 in London, England in a small place called Oswaldtwistle. Barbara achieved academic excellence early in life despite wartime interfering with normal studies. Wartime necessity pushed her from an engineering interest which started with fixing radios in the bomber planes, and eventually to nursing. After surviving, and helping many others survive the London bombings of WWII, she graduated with a Nursing degree in London, England. Well established as a proficient nurse she caught the eye of surgeon and urologist, Don Paine at the Blackpool Hospital in England. They fell in love after a rocky start of “who’s boss” in the emergency room and married in 1954. Their plan was to escape the effects of post-war socialized medicine and economic hardship in England by sailing to Canada in 1956, to start a new life with greater opportunity.

They arrived in Montreal with their infant firstborn son Richard on January 1st, 1956. They worked in Hamilton before moving to North Bay and she and Don went on to form an inseparable, devoted, and happy partnership for 57 years. When the family settled in North Bay, Barbara was introduced to major snow and cold! She raised three children and provided nursing and administrative support in her husband’s medical practice where they introduced innovative medical services and served Northern Ontarians for the next 22 years. Barbara was the strength and charisma behind Don in all they tackled and engaged in, including the establishment of the Northern Ontario Kidney Dialysis Unit at Civic Hospital, without any initial financial support from the Ministry of Health. The North Bay Dialysis Unit thrives today and, for more than 40 years, has extended the lives of many patients.

She opened her home to both her mother and her mother in-law from England for a great many years while raising three young children. Her selflessness, patience and empathy for others will be rewarded in heaven!

In 1979, Barbara and Don “escaped” impending socialized medicine for a second time, leaving all children behind in Canada as they would laugh and explain in great detail over the years, moving to South Carolina near Myrtle Beach, where they spent the next 30 years thoroughly enjoying the sun and warmer climate.

Barbara was renowned for her fabulous parties, her openness and caring of all newcomers to North Bay, having been one herself. She had boundless energy for shopping and decorating, a quick wit, easy laugh, an interest in people, and used a trial lawyer technique for questioning new acquaintances out of a sheer interest in knowing what makes them “tick”. She put up with Don’s lack of political-correctness, and she held her own strong opinions on many subjects.

She was a long suffering crew or sail-mate to her passionate racer husband, who co-founded with Don Rumble the Trout Lake Wayfarer Sailing Fleet that held weekend amateur races in North Bay for 25 years. She was an intrepid crew member handling the spinnaker, competed with Don in all weather, and always obeyed his barking orders in order to win the many races on Trout Lake. In all these races, she was always SECOND mate as friends and family were never promoted to captaincy!

She loved to be involved in all kinds of activities and was an avid tennis player; she took up recreational curling and skiing as an adult when first coming to North Bay so she could not only understand these Canadian sports but as well meet interesting people. Barbara was always game for something fun and new. She was an adventurous traveller, experiencing Egypt and places afar before it was common place, sailing down the Grand Canyon on a rubber raft in the 60’s, and bareboat racing in Greece and the Bermuda triangle to name a few.

As a mother, she was the caring steady force raising three head- strong children. Her support and strength in providing guidance to them during the tumultuous 70’s and 80’s were rewarded as they all survived in one piece and graduated from University to lead rich and rewarding lives.

Barbara was a highly committed family matriarch who relished Christmas gatherings and summer family reunions on Anita Avenue, in Hartsville, Myrtle Beach or at the cottage on Trout Lake. There was always a sparkle in her eyes and a smile on her face as the captive family brought the homesteads to life with chatter and laughter. She was one of a kind, always pushing family, friends and young professionals to do what they do best, and with passion.

Barbara now resides at Cassellholme in North Bay, unfortunately suffering from dementia. Her children Richard (Catherine), Vicky (Ray), Nicholas (Susan), and Penny, and her six grandchildren Max, Alex, Morgan, Hunter, Logan, and Jagger will always be around to help her remember the good times and keep these memories alive.