Grossi

Domenico immigrated to Canada at the tender age of 19 & brought with him tremendous enthusiasm for the new country that would be his home for more than half a century. A man of love & respect for the country he left behind, Italy never left him & he never truly left Italy.

Our father spent much of his free time in his garden & green house cultivating the many fruits & vegetables that we would enjoy all year round from figs, to tomatos to fagioli to bay leaves, his garden had it all.

A carpenter by trade, he was always eager to lend a helping hand to his neighbours & paesani adding additions to their homes or upgrading their interior finishes. There was nothing that he couldn’t do with a hammer and saw.

He was a great storyteller & often shared his fascinating stories of the Italy he left behind. Born in Terelle, in the province of Frossinone in the region of Lazio he would recall the Battle of Monte Cassino during World War II which resulted in the near total destruction of the town. Following the war reconstruction began & would not be completed until the year he immigrated to Canada.

A devoted father & husband, he was happiest when he was surrounded by his 6 children and 7 grandchildren. He worked hard & for long hours to take care of his family so that one day they wouldn’t have to work as hard as him.

This memorial reminds us that being italian is a way of life rooted in faith, family and food. We thank Villa Charities for initiating this wonderful memorial & allowing us to share our beloved father’s story & preserving our rich Italian culture in his name.