Cecile M Gannon

Cecile M Gannon (Lussier) is the second child and oldest daughter of a large French-Canadian family of twelve children. Cecile grew up in the small community of Kathleen, in the Peace River Country in Northern Alberta, Canada. She attended school in High Prairie and McLennan and thereafter completed the Elementary Education Program at the University of Alberta.

Cecile taught in High Prairie, Edmonton, and Fort Saskatchewan and then decided to become a devoted mother and volunteer in her parish and community. Cecile and Neil presently live in Edmonton and enjoy their four grown married children and their eleven grandchildren. Cecile was inspired to write the story of how her pioneer parents had to run away not once, but twice to get married. She and her family loved to hear the story that sometimes revealed new and exciting details.

“At first, the book, was to be a simple story. When I started writing, I discovered how history and our roots also shaped our families. The book grew to include short stories about my generation growing up on the homestead as children of pioneers. When there are times in my life when I have found the road difficult to travel, I always think of my mother’s life and somehow my troubles fade away. My mother Olivine, has always been a source of strength and inspiration. Lastly, our parents gave us the enduring thread of love that binds a family forever.”