Stanley Deluce inducted into Canadian Aviation Hall of fame put 'incredible entrepreneurial stamp on aviation'

Stanley Deluce, born and raised in Chapleau,was "a genuine aviation pioneer", according to Michael Posner of The Globe and Mail, in an article written about him after his death on January 27, 2010.

Predeceased by Angela, his wife of 59 years, and his parents John and Elizabeth Deluce, in World War II, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force becoming a Flight Officer in Squadron  126. 

At the end of the war he returned to his employment as a locomotive engineer at Chapleau with the Canadian Pacific Railway. He retired in 1976. Mr. Deluce was born in Chapleau on July 20, 1923.

In 1947, he married he married Angela Spadoni, and by 1949, he had bought a Flight Canuck aircraft to combine "his love of flying with his love of hunting and fishing", according to article about him.

Soon therafter White River Air Service was established, and over the years it led to Mr. Deluce putting an "incredible entrepreneurial stamp" on aviation, Mr. Posner wrote.

In 1970, as the Chapleau Aiport was under construction, Mr. Deluce with passenger Yvon Martel made the first official landing there. Gene Bernier, the chair of the airport commission, after whom the airport is now named, greeted them on arrival.

After Mr. Deluce was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame, his profile stated in part : "His development of a small commuter airline in Northern Ontario, which led to one of the largest regional airlines in Canada ... has been of great benefit to aviation in Canada".

As well as being inducted into the aviation hall of fame, he was member of the Civil Aviation Tribunal, a director of the Air Transport Association and was selected as an outstanding aviation pioneer of 1993 by the Rusty Blakey Heritage Aviation Group. He was also an honourary Life Member of ATAC.

His obituary in the Toronto Star, notes that "Stan oversaw the growth of White River Air Services with its acquisition of Sault Airways, Kapuskasing Air Service, Austin Airways, Superior Airways, Air Manitoba, Air Ontario and the startup of both NorOntair and Air Creebec. At one point in the mid 1970's after further relocating to Timmins, Stan's companies were doing charter and scheduled operations all over North America and were supplying planes, pilots and services to places as far away as Denmark, France (Reunion Island), Tunisia and Nepal."

Mr. Posner wrote that "There was never, Mr. Deluce once explained to an interviewer, any grand, master plan. 'It seemed to just come naturally. When you see opportunities you take them, but I never really had ambitions past doing things in Northern Ontario. I guess we grew because of the boys [among nine children, seven were sons, all of whom acquired commercial pilot licenses]coming into the business. Other than that, I probably never would have bothered, because after a certain point you're just adding headaches.'"

Mr. Posner noted that "As the large family and many friends gathered to pay final respects a Harvard AT-6 made a slow tributary pass over the cemetery in a fitting salute. Mr. Deluce trained on precisely such an aircraft" after joining the RCAF. A friend had arranged for the flight.

Mr. Posner also wrote that as the funeral cortage was making its way to the cemetery from the church, it was forced to stop at a railway crossing as a Canadian Pacific Railway train passed through it. All so very fitting!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Martel family made significant contributions to Chapleau since arriving in 1951 to establish lumber mill

The Martel "Kids" from Larry Martel collection

When Joseph Egide Martel and his wife Yvonne moved to Chapleau with their family in 1951 it marked the beginning of a long family relationship with Chapleau, Jim Prince wrote in the Chapleau Express after they were honoured at a civic reception in 1998.

In another report on the reception, perhaps Dan Lemieux, speaking on behalf of the Chapleau Ski Club, summed it up best on behalf of all those who were touched by the Martel family. Dan said: "Whenever we were in need we just had to go to the J.E. Martel company office and we never came away empty handed."

Richard Bignucolo, representing the Chapleau Airport Commission thanked them for their contributions to the airport. Yvon Martel, along with Gene Bernier, were particularly instrumental in getting an airport at Chapleau. Yvon, in an aircraft piloted by Stan Deluce, made the first landing at it in 1970.

Earle Freeborn, then the reeve of Chapleau, said that "Since 1951, you have provided employment for our community," adding that they had supported sports and many community projects.

The eight children of Mr. and Mrs. Martel, Lise, Solange, Suzanne, Oriette, Yvon, Aldee, Denis and Jean, all contributed to the community.

They were great supporters of hockey and Suzanne Turcotte noted that Denis had coached a Midget team to an Northern Ontario Hockey Association championship. Aldee was a great supporter of Junior "B" hockey and was part of the 1953- 1954 famous Chapleau Bantam team.

Tee Chambers, Butch Pellow, Aldee Martel in Sudbury Arena 1954

At the civic reception, Mme Yvonne Martel and the four Martel brothers who had taken over operation of J.E. Martel and Sons Lumber Ltd. after Mr. Martel, its founder died in 1972, were presented with tokens of appreciation by the Township of Chapleau, flowers to the ladies and certificates of appreciation to the brothers.

The reception honouring them was held after they had sold their operations in 1997 to E.B. Eddy Lumber Ltd.

 They even had a fastball team at one time, and Larry, Aldee's son, shared an anecdote about making games on a Friday night. In the summer months while attending university, Larry worked for the company, and worked stopped at noon on Friday. His girl friend, now his wife would be coming for the weekend, but Larry also had to play ball.

So he would drive to Sault Ste. Marie, pick up his girl friend, and make it to the game on time, and be a quick change artist to be in uniform at game time.

The Martel "Boys" Larry Martel collection

Writing in Chapleau Trails, edited and published by Dr. W.R. Pellow, Doug Greig notes that J.E. Martel and Sons Lumber Limited was one of the first independently owned and operated manufacturing firms to situate in the Chapleau area.

Joseph Egide Martel moved to the area from Lasarre in 1951 to salvage the standing timber that burned in Fire Number Six at Racine Lake.

 A supply of green timber limits with a allowable cut of 7,500 units from the government of Ontario after the salvage operation resulted in a permanent operation at Racine Lake until 1959 when a portable sawmill was dismantled and by 1960 a new mill one miles west of Chapleau was up and running with a production capacity of 7,000,000 board feet annually.

When Mr. Martel died in 1972, the business was divided into an equal partnership among his four sons - Yvon, Aldee, Denis and Jean.

Top Yvon and Margot, Aldee and Lorna and bottom Jean and Carmelle, Denis and Linda

Doug Greig wrote: "The new ownership developed the proper quality, customer care and progressive employee relation philosophies that today's major corporations are just now starting to realize as keys to long term success."

Over the years, the company evolved into a modern progressive one responsible for the sustainable management of their forest license, and employment in manufacturing jobs in the Martel woodlands, sawmill and marketing operations.

Doug noted that the company survived economic downturns by continuing to provide quality products, customer service, fair treatment of employees and continued investment in the company.

Among many awards over the years, one that stands out is one from the Ontario Lumber Manufacturers Association. Yvon Martel was presented with the first ever Honourary Life Member Award for his work with the association.

Doug Greig again: "The quiet success of J.E. Martel and Sons Lumber Limited has been rolling along for over 46 years (at time Doug was writing). The company is a solid pillar of the community of Chapleau and province of Ontario...The Martel company could always be relied on to help with any community project..."

A personal note of thanks to Aldee for being the person you are, and to Larry Martel and Doug Greig who were so helpful with research assistance. Congratulations to Larry on his recent promotion and best wishes to all the Martel family on the occasion of their family reunion. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Gene Bernier, Yvon Martel led successful seven year campaign to establish Chapleau airport with support from local business, industry and individuals by 1970

When Gene Bernier became president of the Chapleau Chamber of Commerce in 1963, he had one major thought in mind -- the construction of an airstrip for Chapleau.

Ralph Stewart, Gene, Dr McIlveen, MJM

Closely associated with Gene from the outset was Yvon Martel, and together they launched a seven-year campaign to obtain support for the project, and by May, 1970, the airstrip had become a reality when Stan Deluce, of Chapleau, president of of White River Air Service officially landed the first plane on the airstrip with Yvon as his passenger. Gene headed the welcoming committee.

As I was researching the airport story, I could not help but think of Tom Godfrey Sr, of a previous generation of Chapleau community builders, all volunteers, whose great passion was to have Highway 129 to Thessalon completed, and "turkey trail" through the bush it may have been when opened in 1949, the community had a highway link to break down the barriers of isolation.

Gene, Yvon and the others who joined them in the airport project were of a generation who saw that air travel was becoming more common by the 1960s and they were determined that Chapleau would not be left behind.

The chamber of commerce backed Gene's "thought" about the airstrip, and an airport committee was formed. It had its own bank account and Gene was the chairman. In no way, was the project officially supported by the Township of Chapleau council. In fact, over the next seven years there would be some misunderstandings between the two, but they were resolved by May 1970 when the council agreed to let them use township land, but would not provide any grants for the project.

In short, Chapleau got an airport because of the dedication of volunteers from businesses, industries and individuals who supported it.

For example, Gene and Yvon made innumerable trips at their own expense to meet with federal and provincial government officials in Ottawa and Toronto.

And, when construction began, Yvon, became the "foreman" according to a report Gene gave to the Chapleau Rotary Club, adding he was of "tremendous value" to the success of the project. Although they received some funding from senior governments, they also relied on donations of funds and equipment locally.

These airport pioneers were not content to just create a gravel strip runway, but were busy negotiating with the provincial government to establish a forest fire water bombing base at it, which eventually contributed to expansion.

By 1973, it had become the Chapleau Municipal Airport and the council had established the Chapleau Airport Commission. The first members were Gene as chair, with Yvon and Jack Russell as members, and a representative of council. When I became Chapleau reeve in 1974 I represented council on the airport commission.

But, it was the government of Premier Bill Davis who gave the airport a great boost when it established NorOntair in 1971. The airline was established to create east-west links across Northern Ontario. Premier Davis landed at the airport on a visit to Chapleau in 1975, where he toured the construction site of the Chapleau General Hospital and reviewed plans for other projects planned by council.

First NorOntair flight Timmins-Chapleau

Chapleau was added by 1975, and more barriers of isolation had come tumbling down. Citizens had daily service to Timmins, Sault Ste Marie and connections to Toronto. Depending on the schedules over the years you could also fly directly to Elliot Lake, Sudbury and North Bay.


In July 1975, the terminal building was officially opened. It coincided with a visit to Chapleau by an American marching band which was enlisted to play for the ceremonies.

Chapleau reeve Michael leaving 1st NorOntair flight

Ralph Stewart, the Member of Parliament at the time was present, and being a very accomplished musician was invited to lead the band in the Playing of 'O Canada'. Ralph took his place and proceeded to conduct the playing of the Canadian national anthem -- the only problem was that the band played the AMERICAN national anthem, followed by the Canadian.

In October 1979, a ceremony was held to officially open two paved runways, and Gene retired as chairman to be succeeded by Yvon Martel.


Chapleau had airline passenger service until 1996 when the government of Premier Mike Harris stopped subsidies to NorOntair.


In recognition of his tremendous contribution to the airport, it is now called after the person who had a thought in 1963, and made it into a reality -- the Eugene Bernier Airport. My email is mj.morris@live.ca


Thanks to DOUG GREIG for his research assistance.