Camillo Tinto and Adrianna Difabrizio

Adrianna and Camillo Tinto

Camillo Tinto was the second, of three sons, was born in Pennadomo, Abruzzo, Italy, to Antonio Tinto and Giovanna Lucci.   

In 1957, Camillo was 22 years old. The CN railway was looking for workers and promised a one year work contract in Canada, after which time, they could apply for landed immigrant status and Canadian citizenship.  Camillo and friend, Peter, both started working in Sicamous, BC, and ended up in Golden, BC. They met several Italian comrades, among them, Marziale DiFabrizio, a fellow Abruzzese. Come spring of 1958, the boys were looking for other work and Peter knew of a fellow Italian who had immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, and so off the boys went! 

The boys soon found work in the construction industry. By 1963, Camillo and Marziale were the head carpenters of McPhillips construction. That spring, Camillo’s parents asked him to come back to Italy for a few months to help out, while his brother, Alfredo, recuperated from an illness.  Camillo decided to visit his coworker, Marziale, who also had returned to Italy.  

It was April, 1963, when his friend, Marziale, introduced Camillo to his sister, Adriana Bambina Difabrizio.  Born in 1942, she was one of twelve children born to Mariano Difabrizio and Vincenza Teti, from the town of Torricella Peligna, Abruzzo, Italy.  

Her father, Mariano, was a prisoner of war during WWII, but managed to escape and evade the Nazi’s. He passed away in 1953, when she was only 11 years old.  Life was hard for the widow and her remaining children. The youngest, Guido, was only 5 years old.

At 20 years old, Adriana, took the opportunity to work at a shoe factory in Milan, Italy. After realizing the job wasn’t for her, she returned to Torricella. Shortly after, she met her brother’s friend, Camillo Tinto.   They were married in July, 1963.  By August 1963, Camillo and Adriana were  living in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Camillo resumed his job with McPhillips Construction.  They went on to buy a house there. They had four children: Joan, Diana, Claudia and Tony. 

In 1972, Camillo got a job offer from a Winnipeg friend, Paul, who had moved to Kelowna, BC. He was designing and building homes and was in need of a good foreman.  After much consideration, in the spring of 1974, the Tinto family moved  to Kelowna.  Adriana got a job at Sunrise Bakery and Camillo built amazing houses, designed by Paul.  Camillo was encouraged to join the Italian Club and through this, he met and became friends with Frank Marcanio and Emilio Nanci.  He helped with the parade floats, and many other activities at the club. He was also part of the renovation team at the clubhouse. His favourite activity was playing Bocce and keeping the lanes in good working order. 

In the late 1980’s, Camillo started his own contracting business, with his son and son-in-laws. During this time, Adriana worked as the head chef at Pizza Patio and later on, Smitty’s. In 1995, they both retired, but Camillo was soon offered a position working with the Callahan family as a handyman for their properties. He worked with them until his official retirement, in 2000. 

Camillo and Adrianna enjoyed time with their seven grandkids, and working on their garden. Camillo lent out his skills as a carpenter to whomever needed it. Downsizing to a condo did not stop their love for gardening, so they maintained garden plots there. 

Camillo passed away at the age of 88, on Dec 17, 2023 and was laid to rest at Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery. 

Contributed by Joan Tinto Sanders, daughter.