Born Here, Went Far

Music and stage

Windsor births whose careers left the border. The Shania Twain card records the Windsor birth; Film, Stages and Songs points here.

Correction

Shania Twain

Born Windsor, 28 Aug 1965; raised in Timmins

Born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor. Canadian Encyclopedia and Windsor Public Library both place the birth here; the family moved to Timmins when she was a baby. She became one of the best-selling country artists in the world. Correction: she was born in Windsor, not Timmins. The Film, Stages and Songs tab now records the Windsor birth and points here. Frame as born here, raised in Timmins. Never say she grew up in Windsor.

Sources: Canadian Encyclopedia; Windsor Public Library

Shania Twain, 2015. Photo: Lorie Shaull. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0.

Free to use

Garth Hudson

Born Windsor, 2 Aug 1937; raised in London, Ont.; died 2025

Organist of The Band. Windsor Public Library and major obituaries place the birth in Windsor; an older Canadian Encyclopedia line that said London is outdated. We say born Windsor, raised London. Not yet a full people-gallery card on Film, Stages and Songs; when that tab is updated, cross-link rather than copy.

Sources: Windsor Public Library; Reuters obituary, 21 Jan 2025

Garth Hudson, 1971. Photographer not credited on Commons file. Public domain (United States), via Wikimedia Commons.

Free to use

Dorothy Collins

Born Windsor, 1926 (Marjorie Chandler); died 1994

Star singer of TV's Your Hit Parade in the 1950s. Born in Windsor; career in the United States. Also on Film, Stages and Songs. This card carries the Windsor birth.

Sources: Windsor Public Library; New York Times obituary, 23 Jul 1994

Dorothy Collins promo still. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Free to use

Jeon Somi

Born Windsor, 9 Mar 2001 (Ennik Somi Douma)

K-pop singer (I.O.I, then solo). Born in Windsor; career in South Korea. Living person: keep the free Commons portrait credit honest; no paid licensing.

Sources: Universal Music Canada (2023); AllMusic artist page

Jeon Somi, 2020. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 3.0.

Photo wanted

Angus MacInnes (Gold Leader)

Born Windsor, 1947; died 2024

Played Gold Leader in Star Wars (1977). CBC Windsor and Windsor Public Library confirm the Windsor birth. No free portrait found tonight; Film, Stages and Songs is the natural home for a fuller card when a rights-cleared photo arrives.

Sources: CBC Windsor family statement coverage; Windsor Public Library

Photo wanted. Share yours through the family photo or story note below.

Cross-link

Donald McPherson

Born Windsor, 20 Feb 1945; world figure skating champion, 1963

Full card, with photograph, on On Ice and Field. Born here; the world title and Holiday on Ice career were elsewhere.

Sources: Canadian Encyclopedia · Team Canada

Fotograaf Onbekend / Anefo. CC0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo wanted

Kortney Wilson

Born Windsor, 8 Feb 1979; music, then television in Nashville

Full card on Film, Stages and Songs. Born here; the later career was largely in Nashville.

Sources: Windsor Public Library · HGTV biography

Photo wanted. Share yours through the family photo or story note below.

New root

David Sobolov at TFCon, Burbank, 17 March 2019. Photo: Siike Donnelly, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

David Sobolov

Born Windsor, 23 Oct 1964; voice acting career elsewhere

Full card on Film, Stages and Songs.

Sources: Windsor Public Library · TV Insider

New root

Danielle Wade

Raised in LaSalle; stage career in Toronto, on tour and in New York

Full card on Film, Stages and Songs. Raised in LaSalle, not framed here as a City of Windsor birth.

Sources: Global News · Windsor Star

University of Windsor campus, August 2006, where Danielle Wade studied theatre. She is not pictured. Photo: Mikerussell. CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Public life

Governors, sheriffs, premiers, justices and a University of Michigan first. Sandwich and Freedom Shore get the local cross-links.

Free to use

John B. Swainson

Born Windsor, 31 Jul 1925; 42nd Governor of Michigan, 1961 to 1963

Later a Michigan Supreme Court justice. National Governors Association and Michigan Court History both record the Windsor birth. A clear Born Here, Went Far story: Windsor birth, Michigan career.

Sources: National Governors Association; Michigan Court History justice page

John Swainson, 1961. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Free to use

Seth Bullock

Born Amherstburg, 23 Jul 1849; grew up in Sandwich

Deadwood's first sheriff and a U.S. Marshal; friend of Theodore Roosevelt. Birthplace is consistent across U.S. and Canadian secondary sources; a Canadian baptism or census page would raise confidence from Medium to High. Cross-link Sandwich.

Sources: City of Deadwood historic brochure; Sudbury Star profile (secondary)

Seth Bullock portrait. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Free to use

Mary Henrietta "Mollie" Graham

Born Windsor, 1857 or 1858; University of Michigan class of 1880

First Black woman admitted to (1876) and graduated from (1880) the University of Michigan, per University of Michigan heritage sources. Natural home also on Freedom Shore and Women of Windsor; those tabs do not yet carry a full card, so this preview holds the Windsor birth story. Cross-link Freedom Shore.

Sources: University of Michigan Heritage ("Of splendid ability"); Michigan News, Mar 2026

Mary Graham portrait. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 2.0. Class of 1880 group photo is public domain (see Credits).

Free to use

Ernie Eves

Born Windsor, 17 Jun 1946; Premier of Ontario, 2002 to 2003

Raised in the Parry Sound area after the Windsor birth. Canadian Encyclopedia confirms born Windsor. Frame as born here; do not invent a Windsor childhood. Also on City Hall's Parliament from the Border chapter.

Sources: Canadian Encyclopedia; Globe and Mail contender profile (secondary)

Ernie Eves in Question Period, May 1987. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 4.0.

Free to use

Peter Cory

Born Windsor, 25 Oct 1925; Supreme Court of Canada justice, 1989 to 1999; died 2020

Windsor birth confirmed in contemporary legal obituaries and Osgoode Society oral history notes. Also on City Hall at Peter Cory. Supreme Court formal portraits are Crown copyright; no free portrait tonight.

Sources: Canadian Lawyer obituary; Osgoode Society oral history (1996)

The Supreme Court of Canada building in Ottawa, 6 July 2022, where Peter Cory served as a justice from 1989 to 1999. This is the court, not a portrait. Photograph: Dwong33, 6 July 2022. Released to the public domain (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons.

Free to use

Oliver Platt

Born Windsor, 12 Jan 1960; birth only, no Windsor upbringing

American actor born in Windsor while his diplomat father was posted nearby. Tufts and ADST oral-history notes confirm the birth. We say birth only. Do not imply a Windsor childhood.

Sources: ADST oral history note; Tufts Now profile, 10 Jan 2014

Oliver Platt, 21 Feb 2009. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

New root

Ron Wilson on the Toronto Maple Leafs bench, September 2010. Photo: Leafsfan67, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from a photograph that also shows assistant Tim Hunter.

Ron Wilson

Born Windsor, 28 May 1955; raised in Fort Erie, then the United States

Full card on On Ice and Field. Born here, raised elsewhere, and later a U.S. international coach. Honest wording matters on this tab.

Sources: Windsor Public Library · Windsor Star

New root

Ken Daneyko

Born Windsor, 17 Apr 1964; raised in Edmonton from age 7

Three Stanley Cups with New Jersey, then broadcasting. Full sports card, with photograph, on On Ice and Field.

Sources: Hockey-Reference · NHL.com

Y2kcrazyjoker4. CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Cross-link

Aaron Ward

Born Windsor, 17 Jan 1973; three Stanley Cups

Full card, with photograph, on On Ice and Field.

Sources: Hockey-Reference · NHL.com

Dan4th Nicholas. CC BY 2.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Makers and business

Windsor shop floors, a Walkerville classroom, and businesses built after leaving.

Free to use

Dodge brothers in Windsor

Worked in Windsor, 1892 to 1900; Evans and Dodge bicycle

John and Horace Dodge moved to Windsor in 1892 as machinists at the Dominion Typograph Co. Horace's 1896 bearing patent and the Evans and Dodge "E&D" bicycle were Windsor years, before Dodge Brothers in Detroit. Tie: worked here. Not born here. Cross-link Works and Wages. The photographs are later formal portraits, from about 1920, not Windsor-era pictures or a picture of the bicycle.

Sources: Windsor Public Library; Vintage CCM Evans and Dodge note

John Francis Dodge, about 1920. Photographer uncredited. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. A later portrait, not a Windsor-era photograph.

Free to use

Sylvia Fedoruk

Top female graduate, Walkerville Collegiate, 1946; born Canora, Saskatchewan

Helped build the world's first non-commercial cobalt-60 cancer unit in Saskatoon; Canadian Medical Hall of Fame 2009; later Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. Tie: educated here, not born here. Verified by CMHF and Saskatchewan Archives family notes. Cross-link Windsor Minds and Women of Windsor when those cards are added.

Sources: Canadian Medical Hall of Fame laureate page; Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society

Walkerville Collegiate Institute, 29 August 2025, where Sylvia Fedoruk was top female graduate in 1946. This is the school today, not a portrait. Photograph: Chris Woodrich, 29 August 2025, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Free to use

Sandy Munro

Born Windsor, 1949

Founder of Munro and Associates, known for car teardown analysis. Company about page states the Windsor birth. Living person; free Commons photo used with credit.

Sources: Munro Commercial / Munro and Associates about page

Sandy Munro with John Stokes. Wikimedia Commons. CC0.

Free to use

Jack Cowin

Born Windsor, 1942

Western University graduate who built Australia's Hungry Jack's burger chain. Medium confidence: Western news and Australian Chamber profiles. No free portrait found.

Sources: Western University News, Aug 2015; CACC Australia profile (secondary)

University College at Western University in London, Ontario, 3 September 2024. Jack Cowin is a Western graduate. This is the campus, not a portrait. Photo: Emily CA (MPL), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

New root

Thomas W. LaSorda

Born Windsor, 24 Jul 1954; later Chrysler CEO

Rose through Chrysler to CEO of Chrysler LLC. He is not Tommy Lasorda, the Los Angeles Dodgers manager; they are different people. Also a short card on Works and Wages. No free portrait was cleared tonight.

Sources: Windsor Public Library · This Day in Automotive History

Workers at Windsor's Chrysler car assembly plant, about 1990. Thomas W. LaSorda, born in Windsor, later became CEO of Chrysler LLC. He is not pictured, and the workers in the frame are not identified here. Photo: Lawrence Monkhouse, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

New root

Doug Bergeron

Born Windsor, 1960; VeriFone and later philanthropy back to Windsor

Built a career in payments technology, including a period as CEO of VeriFone, and later returned capital and attention to Windsor. The Star recorded that homecoming. The portrait is a freely licensed photograph of him.

Sources: Windsor Star · Commons file of Doug Bergeron (portrait identity)

Nadine Priestley. CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Cross-link

Paul Reddam

Born Windsor, 1955; Kentucky Derby owner

Full card on On Ice and Field, including the correction that he did not own California Chrome.

Sources: Windsor Star · In Play! / WECSHOF 2018

University of Windsor campus, August 2006. Paul Reddam is a University of Windsor graduate. He is not pictured. Photo: Mikerussell. CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Writers

Essex County births in Canadian letters.

Free to use

Barbara Gowdy

Born Windsor, 25 Jun 1950

Novelist (The White Bone); Member of the Order of Canada. Born Windsor; career elsewhere in Canadian letters. Also on Film, Stages and Songs and Women of Windsor.

Sources: Canadian literary bios; Eden Mills Writers Festival photo credit on Commons

Barbara Gowdy at Eden Mills Writers Festival, 2017. Photo: DanH. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0.

Free to use

Nino Ricci

Born Leamington, 1959

Lives of the Saints won the 1990 Governor General's Award for fiction. Essex County birth; career in Canadian literature. Frame as Leamington-born, not Windsor city-born. Also on Film, Stages and Songs.

Sources: Canadian Encyclopedia / literary bios; Commons portrait credit

Nino Ricci. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Free to use

Marion Lewis

Born Windsor, 21 Sep 1925; Rh Laboratory in Winnipeg

Full card on Windsor Minds. Born here; the scientific career was in Winnipeg. An earlier pass had missed the Windsor birth.

Sources: Memorable Manitobans · University of Manitoba Archives

The Administration Building at the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus, 8 August 2023. Marion Lewis co-founded the Winnipeg Rh Laboratory; her scientific career was in Winnipeg. This is the campus, not a portrait. Photo: HW1122, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Myths checked

• Shania Twain: she was born in Windsor (28 Aug 1965). An earlier Film tab note and a who's-missing reject were wrong; Film now records the Windsor birth. Raised in Timmins.
• Garth Hudson: born in Windsor, not London. Raised in London.
• Mychal Mulder: born Etobicoke, raised Windsor. Do not put him on this tab as born here. Sports can carry raised-here.
• Emilia Cundari: born Detroit, grew up in Windsor. Raised here, not born here.
• Sylvia Fedoruk: born Saskatchewan; Walkerville Collegiate graduate. Educated here.
• Oliver Platt: born Windsor during a diplomatic posting; no Windsor upbringing.
• Chris Hadfield: born Sarnia. His Windsor tie is an air-show memory; that story lives on Sky Over the Strait, not here.

Chapters in view

Design matches Women of Windsor / Windsor Minds cards.

Still open

• Free portraits still needed: Dodge brothers (period ads), Fedoruk, Cowin, Cory (SCC Crown copyright), MacInnes.
• Fees / commercial (price to Kyle before any buy; buy nothing tonight): Windsor Star / Postmedia file portraits; Canadian Medical Hall of Fame Fedoruk portrait if a fee applies; SCC Cory portrait terms. No price quote pulled tonight.
• Permission, not a listed fee: living-person asks for Somi refresh if needed; Acrolab product photo; RASC Windsor observatory photos (for Sky chapter).
• Do not claim: Mulder or Cundari as born Windsor; Hadfield as Windsor-born; Fedoruk as Windsor-born; Platt as raised here.