James Gordon Nelson, (1932- ) was a professor at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario until his retirement in 1998. Nelson received his BA from McMaster University, his MA from Colorado, and his PhD from Johns Hopkins University. Before accepting a position with the University of Waterloo in 1975, Nelson held academic and administrative positions at the University of Calgary and the University of Western Ontario. He is an ecologist, a geographer, a planner, and a policy maker. James Gordon Nelson has been a member of the College of Fellows of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, a committee member of the World Commission on Protected Areas of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, a member of the National Executive Committee of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness, and Ontario's Representative on the National Board of Governors of Heritage Canada. He has received many awards, including the first Natural Heritage Award in 1978, the Canadian Association of Geographers Award for Scholarly Distinction in Geography in 1983, the Massey Medal for the Royal Canadian Geographic Society in 1983, a Certificate of Achievement from the Grand River Conservation Authority in 1994, and the 1994 Environment Award for the Regional Municipality of Waterloo.
John Frederick Nathanael Spady (1879-1947) was a musician and composer in Waterloo, Ontario. Taught by his mother, who was the organist at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waterloo for more than 30 years, Spady excelled as a pianist and violinist. He authored more than 600 pieces of music.
Herman Overgaard (1920-2000) was an author, administrator, and professor at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. He obtained his BA from the University of Manitoba, and his MS and PhD from Columbia University. In 1947 Overgaard became an assistant professor in the Department of Economics and Business Administration at Waterloo College (now Wilfrid Laurier University). He held various positions at the university, including Department Chair; Director, School of Business and Economics; and Director of Summer School, Orillia Campus. After retiring in 1986 Overgaard continued to teach on a part-time basis until 1991. In 2000 Herman Overgaard received an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.
J. Ray Houser (1897-1981) was a Lutheran pastor, and President of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary in Waterloo, Ontario. Houser was educated at Gettysburg College and Mt. Airy Theological Seminary, Philadelphia. After his ordination in 1924 he served as a pastor in the United States. In 1954 he became President of Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, serving until his retirement in 1968.
Theresa McClenaghan (1962-) is a Canadian lawyer. She has pursued public interest environmental law throughout her career, representing individuals, groups, and First Nations in environmental matters of local, regional, and national significance. McClenaghan obtained her LLB from the University of Western Ontario, an LLM from Osgood Hall Law School, York University, and a diploma in Environmental Health from McMaster University. She has been called to the bar of Manitoba and Ontario, and has practiced law in Kitchener, Paris, and Toronto, Ontario.
Ulrich S. Leupold (1909-1970) was a professor and Dean at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary in Waterloo, Ontario. He obtained his PhD in musicology from the University of Berlin in 1932. He was ordained by the Canada Synod in 1939 and served as a pastor until 1945. He was appointed Principal in 1969. He authored, arranged, and composed numerous works. Wilfrid Laurier University's Leupold Residence is named in his honour.
Denis Landry est né à Azilda en Ontario, le 16 mai 1919. Il a commencé l’école à l'âge de sept ans et a gradué de la huitième année de l'École Publique Azilda #2, à l’âge de quatorze ans. Landry n’a pas pu continuer son éducation pour des raisons économiques. Il a commencé à travailler sur la ferme familiale où il s’occupe de la pasteurisation du lait et prend soin des animaux. Landry épouse Thérèse Paquette, le 6 janvier 1945. Sept enfants naissent de ce mariage.
Landry est un catholique dévoué qui aime la musique religieuse. Il est membre de la chorale de la paroisse de Chelmsford et quand la paroisse Sainte-Agnès est formé, il devient le directeur de la chorale pendant vingt ans.
Landry est une figure importante dans le secteur d'éducation dans les régions d'Azilda et de Chelmsford. Il joue un rôle significatif pendant la création de la Commission scolaire séparée du Roman Catholic Separate School Section No.1 [RCS.S No.1] en 1955. Il est nommé commissaire de la Commission scolaire séparée RCS.S No.1 de 1955 à 1956. Grâce aux efforts des commissaires, les écoles catholiques dans le district No.1 et No.2 se fusionné en 1961. Landry est élu président de la Commission scolaire séparée RCS.S No.1 & 2, le 7 janvier 1961. Les assemblés pour la commission sont tenus à l'école Ste-Marie à Azilda. Les commissaires de la Commission scolaire séparée jouent un rôle important dans la création de deux nouvelles écoles séparées; l’école St-Patrick et l’école St-Dominique-Savio. En 1965, Landry est nommé commissaire pour le Chelmsford Valley District High School Board. Il sert six ans comme commissaire pour ce Conseil pour assurer que tous les enfants catholiques de la région puissent poursuivre leurs études au niveau secondaire. En 1968, le Ministère de l'Éducation décide de restructurer l’administration en Ontario. Landry est nommé par le Chelmsford High School Board pour servir sur le comité 'Add-Hoc' pour préparer les documents nécessaires pour la restructuration des conseils scolaires en Ontario. Nommé représentant des écoles séparées de l’Ouest Landry tient ce poste pour douze années. Il dévoue 32 ans de service comme commissaire pour les écoles séparées et donne à une nouvelle génération d'enfants catholique française de la région de Rayside Balfour l’occasion d'apprendre et de grandir dans un système d'éducation convenable.
Lors de sa participation à l'évolution du système d’éducation à Azilda, Landry travaille comme mineur à Inco pour soutenir sa famille. Après 43 ans de service, Landry prend sa retraite et continue à travailler comme un agent d’immobiliers. Il est fier de la culture française. Son enthousiasme pour l'éducation, le village d'Azilda et la culture française l'inspiré à écrire et publier le livre Azilda, comme je l’ai connue.
Landry est aussi membre de la Coopérative funéraire et un membre fondateur du Club d’âge d’or d’Azilda. Denis Landry meurt le 6 mai 2008 à l'âge de 88 ans.
Michael Dudowich was born January 31st, 1927 in Garson, Ontario. As a young student, Dudowich began working on the weekends for Mr. W.E. Mason at the Sudbury Star in 1943. In high school, Dudowich was the Director of Photography for the Sudbury High yearbook the Wolfhound as well as Assistant Editor for the Catholic Youth Organization Bulletins affiliated with St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church. In the 1946 Sudbury High yearbook, grade twelve student Dudowich stated his future goal for later in life was to photograph actress Lana Turner.
In 1947, the Dudowich family moved from Garson to Riverside Drive, Sudbury, Ontario. After graduating with honours from Sudbury High School, Dudowich worked for a short time as a locomotive fireman and then proceeded to work full time for the newspaper. Eventually, he became the photographic supervisor for the Sudbury Star and held the position of 'Chief Photographer' for decades prior to his retirement in May, 1976.
Dudowich was an active member of the Commercial and Press Photographers' Association of Canada (CPPAC) for many years. He frequently attended the short course in photography held annually at the University of Western Ontario by the group and won multiple awards for his photographs including the CPPAC Award of Merit and several of the Canadian Press Picture-of-the-Month awards. He was chosen Best Photographer of Canada, and his work appeared in the publication "America." In 1972, Dudowich received awards from the Canadian Government and the Canadian Press for his work in the Russian/Canadian Hockey Series of that year.
Dudowich was a charter member of the Idylwylde Golf and Country Club, a member of the Ukrainian Congress of Canada, the Laurentian Museum and Arts Centre and St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church.
Michael Dudowich passed away on May 4th, 1998 at the age of 71.
Eugene Kash (1912-2004) was a Canadian violinist, conductor and teacher. He was married to contralto Maureen Forrester from 1957 to 1974.
Alan Querney was born November 3, 1929 in Toronto, to parents Ernest & Marjorie Querney. After growing up in Sudbury, Querney graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1954 with an Honors degree in Business Administration. In 1957, he became a Chartered Accountant and in November of that same year, Querney began working in the lumber industry at WB Plaunt & Son Limited/Austin Lumber (Dalton) Limited. Querney married Shirley Richmond in London, Ontario in 1954. They had four children, Tom (b. 1958), John (b. 1960), Susan (b. 1964), and William [Bill] (b. 1967). In 1972, Bill Muirhead, a family friend, sold his family's business (Muirhead Stationers Limited) to Querney. After Alan Querney's sons graduated university, they became co-owners of the business as well.
Alan Querney was very active in the community. Querney was a member of the Laurentian University Board (Chairman, 1987-1990), the Board of Regents at Huntington College (Chairman), the Sudbury and District Chamber of Commerce, the Sudbury and District Chartered Accountants Association, the Sudbury Algoma Sanitarium (Secretary-Treasurer), the Sudbury and District Hospital Council (Chairman), Idylwylde Golf and Country Club (President), the Ontario Lumber Manufacturer's Association, St. Andrew's United Church Council and Finance Committee, and a member of the Board and Treasurer of St. Andrew's Place Inc. Querney received numerous awards in the community including becoming an Honourary Fellow of Huntington University (1977), receiving an Honourary degree of Doctor of Sacred Letters from Huntington University (1982), elected a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (FCA, 1985), awarded the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada (circa 1992), receiving an Honourary Degree of Doctor of Business Administration from Laurentian University (1996), received the President's Award from the Sudbury and District Chamber of Commerce (along with his sons, 1998), and elected a Life Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (1999). He was also recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Sudbury in 2000 for charitable contributions. Alan Querney retired around 2002 and Tom Querney became President of Muirheads.