GARY PENNANEN

Gary Alvin Pennanen, born February 12th , 1938, passed away at Hogarth Care Facility, Thunder Bay, Ontario, on December 26, 2023 after a brief illness.

He will be missed by his cousins: Kalvin Korpela (Mary Coates-Korpela) of San Diego, California; Karen Beaujot (Fred) of Aurora, Ontario; Andrea Pietilainen (Matti) of Dryden, Ontario; Eunice Haight Cott of Etobicoke, Ontario; Adrienne Pasternak of Thunder Bay, Ontario; four younger adult second cousins. He is predeceased by his mother Signa Hellen (nee Korpela), father Kauko Olavi Pennanen, grandparents Gustav and Anni Pennanen, Voitto and Emma Kristiina Korpela. He is also predeceased by his lifelong friend from elementary school, David Paquette.

Gary grew up in North McIntyre and attended S.S. #2, McIntyre, graduating from the Port Arthur Collegiate Institute in 1957. As a youngster, he showed an interest in history and enjoyed collecting stamps, especially those of a historical nature such as the U.S. Presidents. His classmates honoured Gary by naming him Representative of the School to attend the United Nations Seminar at the University of Manitoba in Grade Thirteen. Gary loved learning and completed a B.A. at Queen's University, Kingston, followed by M. A. and Ph. D. both at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He was awarded the Queen's University Scholarship for high academic standing in History, twice. In 1961 Gary was proud to be the recipient of the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, a prize given to outstanding students in the U.S. and Canada in the field of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. An exceptional pupil, he was also awarded the Canada Council Fellow in 1966.

Gary was a university professor from 1965-1993. He began his teaching career at the United College of the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, now called the University of Winnipeg. Gary hoped that his teaching there contributed to the success of Thomas Axworthy, his student in his American diplomatic history class, who later became Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau's private secretary between 1981- 84.

After one year in Winnipeg, he obtained a position at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where he taught American and Canadian History until the end of his career. Gary loved teaching and working with students and kept track of information related to his classes on his special cardboard hand-written 'Q Cards.' He was awarded the title of Professor Emeritus by the University of Wisconsin upon retirement.

An exceptional writer, he was the author of five published works on various historical topics. His scholarly article, Sitting Bull: Indian Without a Country is considered to be a cult classic for historians and others interested in western history. His well-researched article, The Fortune Bay Affair 1878 -1881: Massachusetts Fishermen Versus the British Crown describes a messy interchange that took place between American and Newfoundland fishermen regarding fishing rights off the Burin Peninsula of Newfoundland.

The topic of free trade between Canada and the United States is explored through the eyes of three noted historians in Goldwin Smith, Wharton Barker, and Erastus Winman: Architects of Commercial Union. His lengthy article entitled Battle of the Titans: Mitchell Hepburn, Mackenzie King, Franklin Roosevelt, and the St. Lawrence Seaway outlines the wranglings by these three politicians that resulted in the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959. The cities of Port Arthur, Fort William, and the News Chronicle newspaper, are mentioned, as these items are part of the 'seaway story.'

Immigration is an important topic today and his article, Public Opinion and the Chinese Question, 1878-1879 describes the roots of Chinese immigration in America.

Gary was very proud of his Finnish heritage and grew up in the rural area near Dawson and Government Roads. His grandmother, Emma Kristiina Korpela, often read to him from the family Bible that she brought from Finland. Like many Finns, she cooked Kalamojakka Finnish Fish Soup on her wood stove. The entire fish is used and some Finns say that the eyes are the tastiest part! His mother made delicious loaves of pulla to 'go with' a cup of coffee.

Gary loved to fish the creeks, rivers, and lakes that flowed into Lake Superior. This lifelong affair started in his youth when his beloved grandfather, Gust Pennanen, first brought him to the banks of the McIntyre River for speckled trout. Subsequently, this joy continued with his parents, Kauko and Signe, regularly taking him during the summer to successfully limit out in new waters, including, for example, the lakes Trout, Dog, Whitefish, and the streams McVicar, Wild Goose, and McKenzie, As to the species pursued, and not to discount catching lake and rainbow trout, pickerel, and pike, his principal target was always his first fish, the speckled trout, which he cherished catching with home-tied flies and his secret, copper spoons. Gary had a lifelong passion for fishing and, in his later years, enjoyed sharing his professional, local knowledge of the sport with family and friends.

An informal visitation to honour the remarkable life of Gary Pennanen will be held at Everest Funeral Chapel, 299 Waverley Street at Algoma, Thunder Bay, on Saturday, May 25th, 2024, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. There will be a short presentation and exhibit of about twenty-five personal items including an antique watch and vase belonging to his grandmother, and Gary's stamp collection from childhood.

No public interment service is planned. Gary's final resting place will be Riverside Cemetery close to an institution of higher learning, Lakehead University, and overseeing McIntyre Creek, where he spent so many happy hours fishing in his youth.

Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com