Hilary Daun Nalezyty (Kannegiesser) died unexpectedly at TBRHSC on December 16, 2025, just a month shy of her 102nd birthday and an upcoming hip replacement in January 2026. Daun was born on January 14, 1924, in Schreiber ON, and she was the last living child out of 16 born to Bernhard and Kathleen (Holmes) Kannegiesser. She completed her primary education in Schreiber before moving to Fort William to attend Vocational High School. After that, she worked at Canada Car as part of the ‘Rosie, the Riveter’ team.
While working at Canada Car, she met Leonard Nalezyty, a familiar face from high school who was waiting for his Navy enlistment to finish. They seemed to enjoy working together and began their 66-year marriage in 1942, which continued until Leonard’s passing in 2008. With the end of WWII came the conclusion of Daun’s riveting career as Leonard was discharged from the Navy. She then took on her new role as life partner and later added ‘mother’ to her list of responsibilities. They bought a small house with a large yard on the outskirts of Current River. In those early years, Leonard’s job as a communications technician for Abitibi Paper Woodlands kept him away from home often for days at a time. During those times, Daun expanded her usual chores to include house repairs, yard maintenance, snow removal, gardening and lawn care management, fixing things around the house, and handling all household finances. Together they made an efficient team throughout their marriage.
As part of her duties as a mother, Daun often found herself hitting fly-balls and grounders for neighborhood kids as warm-up before Current River Little League games in the evenings. During that same late 1950s period, she shared coaching duties for Minor League Football with Leonard. She organized line-ups, patrolled the sidelines during games, and sent in or called out plays. After each game ended she collected jerseys and other equipment to prepare them for the next match. It’s likely that Daun remains one of very few women who served as both head coach and equipment manager in Canadian football history. She was also an avid CFL fan; on her 100th birthday she received a video message from Blue Bomber CFL All-Star Willie Jefferson inviting her to attend a Bomber game of her choice from an executive box seat in Winnipeg.
In earlier years Daun was active with Port Arthur Ladies Curling Club where she played on various teams representing them in playdowns across northwestern Ontario. For several seasons she stood out as the only female skip among sixteen teams competing on Sunday nights at Abitibi Curling.
Around 1960 Daun started working part-time at Sears’ catalogue office before eventually transitioning into full-time work there for two decades until retirement came along. Starting in the mid-1960s she and Leonard made it a tradition to vacation yearly in the Caribbean where they finally settled on Barbados and Grenada as their favorite spots.
Daun was predeceased by Leonard (2008) along with all fifteen siblings and their spouses. She’s survived by sons Al (Maureen) Calgary; Reg (Lee-Ann) Thunder Bay; granddaughters Lindsay (Steve) Calgary; Heather (Jay) Nanaimo; Hillary (Toronto); grandson Erik (Winnipeg); and great-granddaughter Sawyer (Calgary).
Cremation has taken place according to Daun’s wishes without any formal memorial service planned. A brief private graveside service will occur before internment at Mountainview Cemetery come springtime in 2026.
If desired instead of flowers memorial donations can be made to Underground Gym or Salvation Army which were two community service organizations dear to Daun’s heart.
Online condolences can be left through www. nwfainc. com
