Roy Piovesana

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Prof: Roy Piovesana and Pres. Tony Buttazoni:Alpini Choir

Roy Piovesana noted teacher and historian was born in 1942, in Fort William, Ontario, Canada, (now part of Thunder Bay) one of three children born to Enrico Piovesana and Christina Brescia. His father had emigrated from Pasiano Pordenone (near Udine) and his mother was a second generation Italian Canadian born in Fort William.

Roy Piovesana grew up in the famous Fort William East End attending St. Peter's Roman Catholic School, an institution that was truly multicultural.

In 1965 Piovesana graduated from Lakehead University with an Honours Bachelor of Arts (History). Five years later he received his M.A. (History) from Lakehead University. He began teaching at Hammarskjold High School in 1984. He retired in 1998. Piovesana was also a Sessional Lecturer at the Faculty of Education, Lakehad University.

In 2000, he was appointed archivist/historian for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Thunder Bay by Bishop Frederick J. Colli.

He was a President of the Thunder Bay Historical Museum Society and the Thunder Bay Art Gallery and currently serving as a Trustee of the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Robert James Manion

In addition, Piovesana has become a well-known historian with numerous publications including " R. J. Manion: Member of Parliament for Fort William", 1917-1935(1990), and "Hope and Charity: An Illustrated History of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Thunder Bay" (2000). He co-authored "Paper and People: An Illustrated History of Great Lakes Paper and Its Successors", 1919-1999 with Beth Boegh, and "St. Dominic Parish: A History", 1912-1987 with his wife, a teacher and writer, Diane Noble.

In 1999 he was awarded a Citizen of Exceptional Achievement Award (Culture) by the City of Thunder Bay, Ontario. In 2003 he was made an Honorary Life Member of The Thunder Bay Historical Society. The same year, he was a finalist for the Prize for arts and heritage: Chronicle-Journal City of Thunder Bay.