Our Dad

His roots:  He was born and lived in Italy for the first 26ish years of his life.  Our dad came from a large family who he truly cared about. He was predeceased by his parents Maria and Ernesto.  He had many brothers and sisters who he cherished; the late Pasquale (Rosa); Cecilia (the late Luigi); the late Antonietta (the late Giuseppe); Luigi (the late Antonia); Antonio (Rosa); the late Palmina (the late Mario); Giuseppe (Maria); the late Domenica (the late Michele) and many nieces and nephews. Our dad knew he was made for more and off on an adventure he went.  And we joke that the universe could have suggested anywhere else in this world for him to settle, like Toronto or New York, but nope, it was Red Lake, Ontario.  Grateful to my uncles and aunts who sponsored his trip over and supported him while he was getting established.

His career:  Our dad went right into mining.  Not knowing a stitch of English, he found his way through the underground of gold mining, learning some interesting phrases along the way.  Grateful to all his partners throughout his career that taught him the ropes which then allowed him to teach the newbies how to be productive while staying safe in mining.  He worked with a number of guys but the two that stand out in our memory is Robert Keeper and Pat Wagner.  We remember the great stories he shared about them.  And how they always treated him with kindness and respect.  He still talked about Stew Reid and Curly Alexander and was certain if they were still around things would be different.  He retired when he was 62 which gave him 20 years of enjoying retirement with our mom.

Marriage time: Our mom and dad had a long-distance relationship that soon turned into getting married in Italy and then returning here to start their life together.  My dad was blessed to be welcomed into our mom's family. They were kind and welcomed him with open arms and although he was taking their daughter and sister far far away, they knew it was the next stage in life and blessed them with their support. They did manage to make it back to Italy for a few visits during their life, but Red Lake was their home.  And although they were happily married, they both missed their families in Italy immensely.

This is where we come in:  My parents had two children; my sister and I.  He was so proud of us. They tried their very best to give us the best life and lead us in the right direction.  Growing up he was very strict, and we couldn't do a lot of things that our friends could do.  We weren't a fan of this, at the time,  but in hindsight we understand that a) he wanted to protect us and b) he was trying his best to balance, navigate, and understand, both cultures and c) this is how we activated our creativity skills.

What he loved:  He loved his chickens and rabbits.  He had them for years since we were little. (Before chickens in town was even a thing) Were we a bit embarrassed when people played ball in Block G and they could hear the roosters crowing? – a little – but this was his hobby and he enjoyed it for a very long time.  And then there was his garden – this was his true passion.  He just knew what to do and worked so hard at it.  Fresh vegetables for miles.  While he was sick, we learned first-hand how much work went into it.  I may have whined a little and he just smiled and said keep going.  He enjoyed fishing with my mom – especially at Bug River.  He loved coming to our cabins, even if the visits were short, and sitting by the water. When we were younger, he loved playing cards or bocce with his brothers and brothers-in-law.  We have fond memories of trips to Pakwash and Snowshoe where we would share some great eats together.

New additions:  Enter the two Sons in Law. Derek, Dee, and my dad really enjoyed wine together or the pre-lunch shot from one of his many bottles of liqueur.  Jager was their favourite – my dad's thought was that it aided in digestion and so everyone ran with that concept.  And although many of our trips out of town together were for medical appointments, we always made time and room to buy the biggest wheel of Romano cheese. (If you know you know)

His grandchildren were such a bright light for him.  He and my mom cared for Sabryn, Erica, and Patrick while we were all fighting to get a spot in daycare.  Nonno and Nonna daycare for the win.  He was proud to tell them stories and show them his garden. They added such a spark to Sunday dinners and special occasions.  My sister and I quickly learned that when they asked if we were coming over, what they were asking was when they would see the grandkids next. And as their grandbabies became young adults, he continued to be so proud of them wishing that their next path would be one that they loved and made them money :)

And now the end – Did we want our dad to stick around until he was 102?  Of course. Did he have more stories he could tell and insights he could share? Most definitely. But as he always said, "when it's your time, it's your time".  We are so grateful that he is no longer suffering and now it's up to us to continue his legacy going forward.

We are proud to celebrate his life with a Mass at St. John the Apostle Church in Red Lake, Ontario on Tuesday, August 15th at 11 a.m. with Father Justin Eze officiating. There will be refreshments after the service and then we will have a private interment at the Red Lake Cemetery.  We learned so many things during this journey and one that especially stands out is how fortunate we are to have such wonderful nurses and doctors who cared for our dad during all of this.  And with that we ask that you consider making a donation in our dad's memory to the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Hospital Auxiliary or the Red Lake Margaret Cochenour Memorial Hospital Foundation through the Red Lake Chapel, Box 237, Red Lake, ON P0V 2M0.