Two local Catholics to be honoured by pope
Jan 07, 2012 Waterloo Region Record

WATERLOO REGION — Two local men will be recognized for their commitment to the Catholic faith with the honours coming all the way from the pope.

Frank Clifford and Frank Voisin are among nine Catholic men and women who received the Papal Honours presented to them by the Hamilton Diocese in November. They will get their medal on Jan. 21.

“I come from a poor family. I never would have guessed as I went through life that something like this would happen to me. I’m very honoured,’’ said Voisin, now 89, and who still goes to his office at Voisin Developments in Kitchener five days a week.

“I’m honoured but worried at the same time,’’ said a humbled Frank Clifford.

“It was not just Frank Clifford. I had great people with me who contributed, but unfortunately there is only one award,’’ said the 81-year-old Waterloo man who was instrumental in bringing full funding to the Catholic school system in Ontario in the mid-1980s.

Both men will receive their decorated medal at a mass at Our Lady of Lourdes on Jan. 21. Bishop Douglas Crosby will bestow the honours.

The papal honours are similar to the secular award of the Order of Canada, said Msgr. Vincent Kerr of the Hamilton Diocese.

The bishop chooses the recipients, and the list receives final approval by Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Gregory XVI founded the Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great in 1831 to reward men and women for their recognition and service to the Church and their good example to the community.

The decoration is an eight-pointed red-enamelled gold cross impressed with the image of St. Gregory. It is suspended from a red and gold ribbon.

Voisin, who previously received the Knight of St. Gregory in 1989, will receive the highest award — the Knight Commander with Star of St. Gregory. Clifford will receive the Knight of St. Gregory the Great.

Msgr. Edward Sheridan, parish priest at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Waterloo knows both recipients well. Both men attend his church.

“They are both outstanding in their fields and as Catholics in the community,’’ he said. “They are very deserving individuals.’’

Voisin has a long record of service to local Catholic groups and organizations, including 48 years as treasurer for The Committee of the Carmelite Nuns, member of the board of trustees and chair of St. Mary’s Hospital, and member of many advisory committees including the Congregation of the Resurrection.

Voisin, a local home builder most of his life, built 950 homes in Kitchener-Waterloo. While developing the subdivision of Forest Hill in Kitchener, Voisin made room for six churches on Westmount Road, selling the land at cost.

Voisin also built the Sunrise Shopping Centre in Kitchener. His sons followed in his footsteps with Greg Voisin leading The Broadwalk development on Ira Needles Boulevard and Mac Voisin, owner of M & M Meatshops.

Voisin grew up in a working class family. His father worked at Dominion Rubber, a tire factory on Strange Street in Kitchener for 38 years. During the winter months, his father was laid off from work because most people didn’t drive their cars in the winter because tires weren’t made for snowy conditions.

As the oldest of six, Voisin recalls going to the butcher shop to buy a 15-cent bone “with just a little bit of meat on it” so his mother could make soup for the family.

Voisin, who was born and raised in Roman Catholic home, served as an altar boy and continued with his faith when he met his wife, Glady.

His wife, who passed away in 2008, was a committed believer who went to church every day.

“I hit the jackpot with her,’’ said Voisin, who was married for 62 years.

The Voisins had five biological children and adopted four more. There are now 26 grandchildren and 31 great grand children.

In his shirt pocket, Voisin carries a folded piece of paper with the name of every person in his family which amounts to 87 people.

A large family, a handful of whom are educators as well, defines the Cliffords. Clifford’s five adult children are employed in education, whether as a teacher, consultant or board superintendents.

Two of his 17 grandchildren are teachers and two others are soon-to-be teachers. The Cliffords have two great grandchildren.

Clifford started teaching at 19 and met his wife while both were elementary teachers in Welland.

Clifford then taught at a teacher’s college in Stratford before going to Peterborough to become principal of the teacher’s college there. He became a superintendent at the Hamilton separate school board and then director of education for the Waterloo Catholic District School Board in 1975.

He was in the region for about 10 years before being appointed to a provincial government committee charged with the implementation of full funding for Catholic schools in Ontario.

Clifford recalls receiving a call from the then Minister of Education who told him “we need a Catholic in here.’’

In June 1984, Bill Davis’ government said it was going to introduce full funding to Catholic schools and it took two years before it was official. Clifford went on to chair a committee to start the College of Teachers for Ontario.

Clifford remembers that time as challenging with “a few tense moments.’’ He visited many boards across the province and spoke to parents’ groups about the move.

He also visited public boards across the province, asking them to give up a high school so that the Catholics could have the school.

“The key was that we were organized,’’ he said. “Parents wanted a religious element to their children’s education. They didn’t just want it on Saturdays or Sundays.’’

Clifford said the creation of full funding of Catholic schools wasn’t just adding another subject but living out the faith.

“It’s the integration of faith development with academic development,’’ he said.

“I feel privileged to be given the position to help complete the separate school system and funding it right up to Grade 13,’’ Clifford said.

https://www.therecord.com/living-story/2595042-two-local-catholics-to-be-honoured-by-pope/

August 11, 1922 - October 13, 2022

Having celebrated his 100th birthday a short time ago, our beloved "Papa" died peacefully on Thursday, October 13, 2022, surrounded by his family at his home on Juniper Cres., where he lived since 1961.

Frank was the firstborn of Urban and Anna (nee Ebert) Voisin in Waterloo. He is lovingly remembered by his sisters Eileen (Joe Pohl) and Kathy (Bill McGlynn), and predeceased by sisters Dorothy (Merrill Dillon), and Anne Hutter (Erick Hutter), and brother Louis (Clare).
Frank had a long, prolific, and purposeful life. He was married to the love of his life Glady Voll for 62 wonderful years. They were loving parents to Greg (Marie Durrer), Mac (Marcela Bahar), Anne (George Lavallee), Jane (Dr. Tom Simpson), George (who died in 2008 and was married to Elaine Kuntz), Guy (Anne Distler), Tina (Perry Van Arsdale), Paul (who died in 2010), Chris (Heather Sampson), and Vince Varga (Cathie Cullen).

Frank is adored by his 26 grandchildren: Cynthia Voisin (Dr. John Sehl), Steve Voisin (Shevaun Day), Tanya Voisin (Scott Wigle), Julie Voisin (Dr. Tyler Zapton), Frank Voisin (Jessica Harris); Fr. Adam Voisin, Angie Voisin (Shawn Cote); Dr. Chad Lavallee (Tonya Robertson), Avril Lavallee (Steve Hatton), Brent Lavallee (Crystal Jenkins), Mary Anne Lavallee (Jeff Corbett); Christie Doneff (Brandon Doneff), Michelle Nowak (Dave Green), Kyle Simpson (Angela Stevens), Rob Nowak, (Stephanie Martin), Greg Nowak; Ben Voisin (Sabina Kayser), Heather Voisin (James Aru), Harmony Voisin (Nick Orlando), Simon Voisin (Marisa Krulicki); Kelly Voisin, Jenna Voisin (Jay Becker); Andrea Bester (Scott Handfield), Amy Bester; Megan Smith (Dylan Smith) and Nicholas Voisin.

Frank was blessed with 50 great-grandchildren: Olivia, Claudia, Anthony, Mary Ella and Jack Sehl; Aedyn, Skyler, Ashley and Ireland Voisin; Cole, Eric, Morgan, Sydney, Lincoln, Reese and Brooke Wigle; Turner, Cooper and Camden Zapton; Kate and James Voisin; Brodie and Lily Cote; Alex, Keira, Sophie and Chloe Lavallee; Alina Hatton; Lauren Lavallee; Jade and Carter Doneff; Quinten Martin; JT and Addison Simpson; Grace and Ava Voisin; Georgia, Slade and Tallinn Aru; Mila, Marshall, Elaina and Nicholas Orlando; Brooklyn, Paige and Taylor Becker; Ayla and Elle Handfield; Cole and Liam Smith.

Frank had humble beginnings living through the Great Depression, yet he was ambitious to get ahead. At the age of 4, he walked around in his Grandma Ebert's grocery store on Allen Street looking for work. Eventually he delivered groceries on a bicycle and embraced the motto "work is fun". He learned about construction and was self-taught. He built his first house at the age of 22 and Glady was always at his side. By 1958, his company built nearly 1000 homes in Forest Hill, Forest Heights, and Lincoln Heights in Kitchener-Waterloo. This included the Forest Hill and Sunrise Shopping Centres.

Frank was a true community builder and left a great legacy for his family and community. He cared deeply for St. Mary's General Hospital and served in various positions in committees and on the Board for several decades. He was on the building committees for Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Waterloo and St. Francis Church in Kitchener. He was instrumental in building the monastery for the Carmelite Sisters of St. Joseph in St. Agatha and maintained an active involvement for 50 years on the Committee for the Sisters.

Frank was a man of deep faith. Because of his exceptional efforts in the dedication to the Catholic Church and the Hamilton Diocese, he was awarded a Papal Honour as a Knight Commander with Star of St. Gregory the Great by Bishop Anthony Tonnos (1989) and Bishop Douglas Crosby (2011).

While Frank kept preoccupied with his work, he found the time to have a full and rich personal life. Frank had plenty of interests including flying, healthy eating, and world events. He travelled extensively with Glady and their home was always the hub of activity.

Visitations will be held at Henry Walser Funeral Home 507 Frederick St. Kitchener (519-749-8467) on Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21, 2022 from 4:00-7:00pm. Vigil service will be held at 7:00pm on Friday. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Lourdes R.C. Church, 173 Lourdes St, Waterloo on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at 10:00am with Fr. Adam Voisin presiding. Afterwards, everyone is invited to join the family in the parish hall for a reception. Private interment with the family will follow at Woodland Cemetery, Kitchener.

In honour of Frank's legacy, donations will be graciously accepted by the Carmel of St. Joseph and St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation.

Visit www.henrywalser.com for Frank's memorial.
Published by Waterloo Region Record on Oct. 15, 2022.
--https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/therecord-waterloo/name/frank-voisin-obituary?pid=203004311