Paterson, John N., 1920-1981 : John N. Paterson was born in Fort William on August 22, 1920. He married to Catherine Cameron Fraser on June 14, 1947. He was educated at Fort William Public Schools, Ravenscourt School for boys in Winnipeg, and the University of Bishop's College in Lennoxville, Quebec, where he graduated in 1939 with a B.A. degree in history and philosophy. He entered law school in Toronto that fall. He was called to the Ontario Bar on September 1947.
John N. Paterson enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in May 1940, obtained his pilot's wings and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer. After serving as a Flying Instructor for two years, he was sent overseas for duty as Fighter Pilot during the Second World War. In August 1944, he was stationed back in Canada and served as a ferry Pilot and a Station Commander at various stations until 1946 when he retired to the reserve with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He served on the inaugural Board of Westmount Hospital and continued on the Board for many years. He was a founding Board member of the Thunder Bay District Health Council and of Lakehead University, the latter of which he served for many years.
After obtaining his law degree from Osgoode Hall (York University), he entered the Paterson family business in Fort William in 1946 - and soon after became Vice-President and General Manager of N.M. Paterson & Sons Limited. He was responsible for the management of the company's Steamship Division and maintained this role for the majority of his career and life. During his life, he was a Board member of the Fort William Chamber of Commerce for several years and served on the Board of Directors for a number of large organizations such as the Toronto-Dominion Bank, Great Lakes Forest Products Limited, The Quetico Foundation and the Royal Trust Co. He was appointed President of Fort William Hotels Limited, the Steep Rock Iron Mines Limited, Vice-Chairman and Director of Western Engineering Service Ltd., and the Northwest Design & Fabrication Ltd. (Norfab Homes Ltd.).
John N. Paterson possessed a great interest in Canadian history and - quite notably - in aviation. Between 1960 and 1963, he located, purchased, restored and flew a fighter plane, the Supermarine Spitfire M.K. IX - one of the remaining few in Canada today. He did the same in 1969 with the historic airmail aircraft, the Stearman 4EM Senior Speedmail. Both aircrafts were presented and donated to the National Aeronautical Museum (now Canada Aviation and Space Museum) at Rockcliffe Airport in Ottawa. During his life, he actively supported district Air Cadet Squadrons and equipped both the Lake Superior Regiment Cadet Corps and H.M.C.S. Griffin Sea Cadets.
John N. Paterson was appointed Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment in 1961 and Honorary Colonel in 1965. He was awarded the Civil Defence Medal. He was invested as a Serving Brother of the Order of St. John in October 1977, and as an Officer in 1979. He received the Jubilee Medal in 1977. He died on August 6, 1981.
