277 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND LAESSER, Doreen Lillian Doreen was born in Windsor, Ontario on June 8, 1924. She enlisted in the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service on August 28, 1943 during World War II. Doreen entered the establishment of HMCS Conestoga NS for probationWren. She was later stationed at HMCS Stadacona NS for general Wren duties. During her service time, she married Leading Stoker Eric L. Flowers RCNVR of Toronto on August 21, 1945 inWindsor. Doreen was discharged from the Navy on November 17, 1945. She would later marry William C. Fields of Windsor and have two children and two grandchildren. Doreen passed away on May 30, 1997 in Windsor. LANG, James Gordon James was born on March 29, 1916 in Toronto, Ontario. He married Catherine Tees from Bruce Mines in 1939 and they raised five children. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy in August 1940. He served on the HMCS Stadacona as a Sergeants Gunner holding the rank of Leading Seaman, (RCNVR) and was on loan to the Merchant Marines for a time. He was on several convoys to England and the Mediterranean Sea. James was discharged as a Leading Seaman in November 1945. He also received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp and the 1939-1945 Star. James returned to the Bruce Mines area, where he was an active member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 211 in Bruce Mines, Ontario. He served, over the years, as either President or Secretary at different times. He and Catherine owned a tourist resort on Rock Lake. He also managed the Algoma Co-operative Creamery in Bruce Station for a time and managed the Bayview Hotel in Bruce Mines for several years. They also owned a local china and woolen shop in their later years. At some point in time, James also worked at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie. James passed away in 1989. LAFLAMME, John Joseph “Jack” Jack was born in Kitchener, Ontario on October 13, 1926 to Eugene Theodore LaFlamme (1956) and Elizabeth Balbina Zimmer (1991) and had two sisters and four brothers. At the age of eighteen, Jack enlisted in the Canadian Army in London, Ontario on November 28, 1944. He was a Private and guarded Prisoners of War at Camp 33 CFB Petawawa, Ontario. German Canadians were the first to be sent to the camp in 1939, followed by Italian Canadians in June 1940. Camp 33 housed 645 German and Italian civilian internees. Jack was discharged on compassionate grounds to return to Civil Life on October 16, 1945. He married Merna Seibel and they had five children: Colette, John, Nance, Catherine and Daniel. He first joined The Royal Canadian Legion on Ontario Street North in Kitchener, where he enjoyed cards and comradeship. He also spent his leisure time golfing. Jack was a Bricklayer by trade; however in 1963 he lost his left leg in a traffic accident and eventually became selfemployed as the owner of a second hand furniture store in Kitchener. Jack passed away on June 20, 1995 at the age of 68 years due to heart failure and is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Kitchener.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==