Arrigo Cimbaro and Elsa Schneider

At the call of her aunt Maria Butt, Elsa and Arrigo Cimbaro immigrated to Canada in May, 1951, via Halifax.  Elsa (neé Schneider) was born  in Tarcento, Udine, Italy in 1926 and Arrigo was born in 1927, in Ciseriis, Udine, Italy.

Upon their arrival in Kelowna, BC  Arrigo found employment as a delivery truck driver for Haddad Beverage Ltd., as well, as a seasonal worker on the Rampone farm.  Elsa worked for  the Rowcliffe Canning Company and the Laurel Fruit Packers Co-operative.   Inititally, they rented a home on Bertram Street  and then built a home on Oxford Avenue. Arrigo and Elsa have two children - Laura and John.  When the beverage company was sold in the early 1970s,  Arrigo became employed at Calona Winery and worked there until 1994, when he retired from his position as production manager.  Shortly after, Arrigo and Elsa built their dream retirement home on Royal Pine Drive - a home designed by their son.
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Arrigo was one of the founders of the Kelowna Italian Club and was also a member of the Alpini Club. Elsa was a serving member of the Catholic Women's League at St. Pius X Church.  Arrigo and Elsa were a very sociable couple.  They loved to dance.  Elsa had a diploma in tailoring, dressmaking and design from Italy, and she was known for the beautiful clothes she made for her family. Arrigo loved to cook and to feed his family and friends. He was also a good vintner.  One of his signature wines was the white “Pearla di Csaba.”

Like many Italian immigrants who came to Canada, the Cimbaro elders arrived here in the hopes of a better life for themselves and their families.  The Cimbaro children would like to acknowledge the sacrifices their parents made, in coming to Kelowna (leaving family, culture, a way of life) and in turn, the achievements they made (built homes, raised their  families, saw their children educated and advance in careers in medicine, education, civil and mechanical engineering,  and computer science, and contributed to the growth of their church and community).  This was done in spite of arriving here with limited language, financial resources and education.  Arrigo and Elsa leave a great legacy built by hard work, ingenuity, perseverance and a love for God and family.

Arrigo died in 2018.  He is laid to rest at the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.

Mary Anna Cimbaro, niece