Norman Joseph Braida

Norm was born in Bracebridge on January 17, 1920 to Eugene and Teresa Braida. He had three siblings…Elma, Nino and Rena. In 1923 the family (minus Rena, who had not yet been born) moved to Italy for a period of two years, returning home to Canada in 1925, with baby Rena. Not long after, the family moved to Acton, living at several addresses (185 Main St and 21 Park Ave.) prior to Eugene buying the 58 acre farm which is now Glenlea Subdivision and the town house complex on Braida Lane. Norm attended Acton Public and Continuation Schools and Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute.

During WW2 he served in the army as a member of the Queens’s York Rangers from 1941-1945 and was stationed in Nova Scotia serving as secretary to the Adjutant. He met his future wife Rita Allison while station in Nova Scotia and they married in Acton in 1946.

Norm was first employed at Beardmore and Co. in 1938 as a Clerk and rose steadily within the Company. He was elected a Director in 1960 and President in 1968, a position he held until his death in 1971.

Norm sang in the St. Joseph’s Church choir and played in several local bands including the Kent Tocher Band and the Lorne Scots. He was Director of the Canadian Figure Skating Association, Chairman of the Western Ontario section of the Canadian Figure Skating Association and Director of the Guelph Figure Skating Association. He was Chairman of the Leather Bureau of Canada, Director of the Tanner’s Association of Canada, member of the Shoe and Leather Council of Canada , Past Chairman of the Canadian Shoe and Leather Fair, and Honourary Fire Chief of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs. Norm co-owned Corona Shoe (a family run shoe manufacturing company ) with his father Eugene and brother-in-law Ray which was housed in the old sheep barn on the Braida farm.

Following their marriage Norm and Rita lived at 160 Poplar Ave. and at 248 Mason Blvd. ,prior to building their home at 21 Longfield Rd.

Norm died on October 16, 1971 and is buried at St. Joseph’s Pioneer Cemetery, Acton.

Truly a Canadian Hero Information taken from The Georgetown Herald October 28, 1971 and interview with Rena Braida Arbic and Ray Arbic.

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