Gary Alvin Pennanen PhD

Gary Alvin Pennanen, born February 12 th , 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 Signe Helen
(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 Five Mile Elementary School,
later 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 Clair, where he taught American and Canadian History till 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, Arrow, Lac des Mille Lacs, Athelstane, and the streams McVicar,
Wild Goose, McKenzie, Walkinshaw, Cedar, and Brule. As to the species
pursued, and not to discount catching lake and rainbow trout, pickerel, pike,
smallmouth bass, and whitefish, 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.

Funeral arrangements are pending, but interment will be in 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.

Gary gave frequently to charitable causes and donations to schools of higher
learning, or organizations with a focus on preservation of wildlife and
natural habitat, would be greatly appreciated.