Elmo Gallucci and Carmela Purificati

Elmo was born on October 29, 1914, in Ontario, to parents, Vincent Gallucci and Antonia Guiliani.  In 1902, Vincent, at age 26, immigrated to Canada from the Lazio region of Italy.  The 1926 census recorded the family living in Biggar, Saskatchewan.  Children Virgil, born 1910, Ida (Mazza), born 1913, and Elmo, born 1917 were born in Port Arthur (Thunder Bay), Ontario while Lenora (Moody) was born in Saskatchewan in 1924. Daughter Mary (Trupei) a was born in 1928.

Carmela Purificati was born August 12, 1923 to parents, Tony and Annina. She had at least one sister, Lena (Bodnar). Her parents immigrated to Canada in 1907 from Ofena, L’Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy.

A 1945 Port Arthur voter’s list showed Elmo as a soldier and was married at the time.  By 1949, he was working in a wood yard in Terrace Bay, in the township of Thunder Bay. Carmela worked for Eatons Department Store in Port Arthur.  In 1956, they travelled to Italy to see their ancestral towns.

In early 1960, Elmo and Carmela moved to Bowes Avenue in Kelowna, BC.  Their love of gardening was evident in the first year they were there. They planted the same number of tomato plants that they did in Port Arthur but, with the better growing climate in Kelowna, they were rewarded with so many tomatoes that all the neighbours benefited from their harvest.  Later, they moved to a new home in Lombardy Square.

Carmela was secretary and book keeper for Rex W Lupton, at the Shops Capri branch of the Lupton Real Estate Agency.  She was very active in the community.   She taught sewing and volunteered for the Okanagan Symphony and the Kiwanis Music Festival.   Later in life, Carmela became an avid dog lover.  Elmo worked for the railway and Calona Wines. His occupation on the Voter’s Lists was Gardener. As well as gardening, playing the accordion was one of Elmo’s enjoyments.  Both Carmela and Elmo were in the local newspapers, numerous times, as club champions at their Bridge Club.

Carmela and Elmo both passed away in 2004.  They are both laid to rest at Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.  In honour of their lives, the Carmela and Elmo Gallucci Fund was set up at the Central Okanagan Foundation.  This fund assists music and animal welfare groups.

Don Rampone, KCIC Heritage Committee