Armando Bossio and Doreen Lalonde

Armando and Doreen Bossio

Armando Ernesto Serafino Bossio was born September 17, 1923, to Benedetto Giuseppe Bossio and Anna-Maria Anselmo. The Bossio family left Grimaldi, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, immigrating to New York. When his dad was just a young lad, he came to Canada. His first job, in 1903, was a water boy for the CPR crew, which was reconstructing its line over the Frank slide. Shortly after, they moved to Fernie, BC.

Armando was an altar boy, at a very young age. When he  finished school, he went to work at the grocery store in Fernie. He later worked at underground mines in Michel, BC. It was a very dangerous, hard and dirty job. In November 1944, he married his childhood sweetheart, the girl next door, Doreen Lalonde. Son, Joseph, was born in 1945 followed by daughters: Annette (1945), Diane (1947) and Lorraine (1953). After leaving the mine, they took up residence in the Elko Hotel which Armando owned and managed. The hotel was under extensive renovations when the fire destroyed it in August, 1956. 

Armando decided to move his family to Vancouver, BC, where there were more job opportunities. He was employed by the liquor control board.  He continued to work while Doreen was a housewife and mother of four young children. In 1965, he was transferred with the Liquor Control Board to Kelowna, BC. Doreen and the young family stayed in Vancouver so that the children could finish their year. In the meantime, Armando had 12 affordable housing units and their own residence built. In 1965, the family made the move to Kelowna.

Armando and Doreen bought the mini golf at the corner of highways 33 and 97. Family members helped them by working in the club house for a few years. In 1969, they were blessed with another daughter, Colleen.  In 1971, a tragic car accident claimed the lives of their daughter, Annette, and her unborn child.  Annette was married to Wally Spencer just a year previous to the accident

Armando retired from the liquor board in 1979. Armando and Doreen were active members of the Kelowna Canadian Italian Club. They helped organize many cultural events and spent endless hours preparing meals for the various banquets. Armando was president in 1977 and 1980. The banquets were held in the Immaculata Hall and the Parkinson Rec Centre before the existing club house was purchased. Joe Diane and Lorraine were all married with families of their own. The youngest, Colleen, was married in 1990 and later had a family.

Sadly, on May 10, 1995 Armando passed away. Doreen attended a few more banquets until she no longer could attend, due to her health. In 2014 Doreen passed away and was reunited with her beloved husband. She was deeply blessed to have lived a life full of love, surrounded by her children and their spouses, nine grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

Rhonda Ewen, daughter of Lorraine and Gordon and granddaughter of Armando and Doreen Bossio, has carried on the tradition as a very active member of the Kelowna Canadian Italian Club.
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Contributed by Lorraine Zaryski, daughter.