Obituary of Ignacy Frank Pelc

Ignacy Frank Pelc
May 28th 1926 – Dec 4th 2024

Ignacy passed away peacefully at the Nipissing Serenity Hospice, North Bay Wednesday morning December 4th 2024 at the age of 98. Predeceased by his wife Irene (Swieton). Both beloved by their children, Kas (Alana) and Sophie (André) Brochu; and many nieces and nephews in Canada, Poland, USA, England and Australia. Ignacy was the youngest of 7 siblings, and the only one who ventured to Canada after WWII in 1946. Ignacy’s family members resting in various parts of the world: his mother Katherine in present day Ukraine; his father Michael in Teheran, Iran; the elder siblings Stan, Salome, and Frank, in Poland; brother Joe in Bologna Italy after the last skirmishes of WWII; sisters Joanne and Julia in Leeds, England.

In his remaining months with my wife and I, he enjoyed the things pertaining to his Roman Catholic faith. We would have the Jasna Gora Shrine from Częstochowa streaming most of the day with Masses in Polish, music and conferences; the Rosary from Radio Fara from the Monastery in Jaroslawa in his Polish home diocese; and the music of Jednego Serca Jednego Ducha held every year in Rzeszow; and especially the young peoples’ group of Mala Armia Janosika with its traditional and faith-filled songs. We also enjoyed them thoroughly ourselves.

He spent the greatest part of his life in St. Catharines, ON from 1952 to 2017, marrying Irene in 1956, and raising their 2 children. He was a faithful parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, life member of the Knights of Columbus, and a Legion member of Branch 418 where he held several positions on the executive over the years. He worked at General Motors for 33 years in the axle division until retirement in 1986. In 2017 Ignacy and Irene moved to Corbeil to live with their son Kas and his wife Alana.

Many thanks to all the relatives and friends who have sent us emails and phone messages indicating their fond memories and love of Ignacy. Always genuinely sociable, hard working, kind hearted, and friendly to all whom he met.

Special thank you to Ignacy’s beloved priests Fr. Daniele and Fr. Francis; as well as to all the PSW’s, nurses, and paramedics who came to our home in Corbeil and were touched by his life: from ‘Nurse Next Door’, VON, and ParaMed. As well as, the staff at the Serenity Hospice and the D3 staff at the hospital who were all wonderful in their care in his remaining weeks of life. 

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to St Alphonsus Ligouri parishioners for their ongoing prayerful support and friendship; and to both Hillside Funeral Services in North Bay and Darte Funeral Home in St Catharines.    

Visitation will be held at Hillside Funeral Services in North Bay December 8th from 2 to 4:00pm. Funeral Mass at St. Alphonsus Liguori Catholic Church, Callander on December 9th at 10:30am. Burial to follow at Victoria Lawn Cemetery, St. Catharines on Wednesday December 11th at 1:00pm.

In lieu of flowers we would ask any donations be to your choice of the Nipissing Serenity Hospice, or St. Alphonsus Liguori Parish, Callander, or Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Catharines.