Serafina Petrone

Serafina (Penny) Petrone A.T.C.M. , BA. , MA. , Ph.D.O.Ont. died unexpectedly on Monday August 22nd, 2005 in Vancouver, B.C. Daughter of the late Luisa Sisco and Liugi Petrone, Dr. Petrone was born and raised in Port Arthur (Thunder Bay). She attended St. Joseph's School and the Port Arthur Collegiate Institute where she won the first CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women) scholarship given to an outstanding Gr. XIII female student in the Lakehead.After graduating from Gr. XIII, Penny attended the North Bay Norman School and began, at the age of eighteen, a long and productive teaching career which encompassed the elementary, secondary, teachers' college and university levels. Beginning in the one room rural schools of the Onion Lake Road, and Five Mile, Dr. Petrone moved on to urban elementary in Port Arthur and Windsor, Ontario and then to secondary in Chapleau, Parry Sound, Thunder Bay, Soest, Germany, and Gros-tenquin (#3 Fighter Wing) France with the Dept. of National Defence. After returning to Hillcrest High School in Thunder Bay in 1958, she was offered a teaching post in the newly-opened Lakehead Teachers' College. In 1963 she was seconded to the Dept. of External Aid to teach at Iganga Teachers' College in Uganda, East Africa. In 1965 she was transferred to Ottawa Teachers' College. A bout of breast cancer forced her to return to Lakehead Teachers' College in 1968. But she managed to turn a tragic situation into a positive life experience and continued her teaching and academic upgrading, receiving her Doctorate in English Literature from the University of Alberta. After a two year residence in Edmonton, she resumed her teaching duties at Lakehead University until her retirement. During this time she was an indefatigable researcher and lecturer, writing articles for a number of reference books as well as presenting conference papers and press and broadcast interviews in Canada and abroad.Her research on the Canadian Poet, Isabella Valancy Crawford resulted in two books The Selected Short Stories of Isabella Valancy Crawford and The Fairy Tales of Isabella Valancy Crawford. They were the first books to make Crawford's prose works publicly accessible.Dr. Petrone also pioneered the critical study of aboriginal literature in Canada with her landmark books First People, First Voices, and Northern Voices. Her Native Literature in Canada was the first book-length history of the literature of Canada's First Peoples. For this ground-breaking research, Dr. Petrone was made an honorary Indian Chief by the Gull Bay Ojibwa and gained international recognition.After her retirement from Lakehead University, Dr. Petrone's scholarly focus shifted to the study of her Italian heritage. Anxious to promote Italian culture, in January 1995, she was instrumental in forming 'I Literati', a local reading group which focused on Italy's cultural heritage in the fields of literature, art, music, history and film as well as on the Italian immigrant experience in North America. She also wrote two memoirs, Breaking the Mould and Embracing Serafina. Her book Breaking the Mould was translated into Italian and launched at the University of Rome, La Sapienza in July, 2005.Dr. Petrone was a lover of the arts and served on the Boards of Magnus Theatre and the Thunder Bay Regional Arts Council. She also served on the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council.Over the years she held various executive offices in teachers' organizations and in the Canadian Federation of University Women. She traveled extensively and was a popular platform speaker to numerous community groups in Thunder Bay and district.During her lifetime Dr. Petrone received many honours and awards: The Corporation of the City of Thunder Bay Citizens of Exceptional Achievement Awards (Culture) in 1981, 1984, and 1989, 'L'ordine d'onore' from the National Congress of Italian Canadians (1994); the 'Order of Ontario' (1992); Canada 124 Medal (1992); Honorary Citizen of Piane Crate (1997); the Golden Jubilee Medal (2002); the F.G. Bressani Literary Award (2002); the Kouhi award for 'her outstanding contribution to writing in Northwestern Ontario' (May 2004).Dr. Petrone was also the proud recipient of Lakehead University's first 'Distinguished Teacher' Award in 1989 and the OCUFA (Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations) teaching award (1988). She cherished the knowledge that she was remembered fondly by generations of students as an outstanding teacher.Dr. Penny Petrone is survived by her brother, Alfred (Celina) in Thunder Bay, Ontario; her sister, Rita McCall (Lawrence) in Oakville, Ontario. A brother Frank predeceased her on March 16, 1988 as well as her sister Mary on July 14, 2004. Left to mourn are many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews.Dedicated teacher, author, role model and mentor, sister, aunt, friend, Penny Petrone enriched the lives of all who knew her. She was a life-long learner who lived a full life, brimming with curiosity and discovery. She has left to those who mourn her death, the legacy of her great courage, her deep and abiding faith in God, her generosity, vivacity and passion for learning.Funeral Mass for the late Dr. Petrone will be held on Saturday, August 27th, 2005 at 9:30 a.m. in St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church. Entombment to follow in Our Lady of Charity Mausoleum, St. Andrew's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation for family and friends will be held on Friday evening from 8:30 p.m. on. With Vigil Prayers being offered at 9:30 p.m. the same evening at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church. As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made in Penny's memory to Magnus Theatre."