My Family Background

I grew up in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve lived in Calgary, Guelph, Toronto, and Aurora. Now, I live in Barrie, which is located on big, beautiful Lake Simcoe and is ninety minutes north of Toronto. I am new to the area, having arrived in October of 2019.

I have a son and a daughter. Both have graduated from university and established themselves in their careers in other cities.

My parents were Florence Missere and John Paleczny of Waterloo. Both were born in Ontario. My dad’s parents came from Poland and Czechia, and arrived in 1907 via Ellis Island in New York City. My mom’s ancestors came from Alsace (France/Germany) and Italy, and arrived in the mid-1800s.

My dad died when I was six, and fifteen years later my mom remarried. My step-dad was Carlyle Loughran of Listowel.

My parents were happy to have children; I am their third son and seventh of nine children. I have three more siblings from Carl’s family. My siblings and our families are spread out across the Provinces of Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon; and in New York, Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida in the US; and one in Australia. I have a lot of cousins in Kitchener-Waterloo and across Canada, and more distant relatives in the Chicago area, and even Paris, France.

I spent my childhood summers at our family cottage in Sauble Beach on Lake Huron. Hence, the Sauble Clipper—which shows up in A Life on Water.