Ernie Rampone and Shirley Tallman

​Ernest Edward Rampone was born on January 14, 1928 in Kelowna, B.C.  He left Mission Creek School and began working on the family farm at an early age, working his way with brother, Louie, in forming the Rampone Brothers operation.  His love of music can be seen in photos of Ernie, with guitar in hand, and by listening to him play opera while in the shower.
 
Shirley Ethel Tallman was born on August 15, 1933 in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan before moving to Kelowna, BC.  As a young woman, Shirley worked for the Butler Family in East kelowna.  She and some other girls would often walk down KLO Road, heading towards town.  One day they decided to stop and eat some grapes from one of the orchards along the road.  The next day Camillo, Ernie’s father, went to check on the grapes and noticed a pile of grape skins, so he went home and told Ernie that he had to sit in the orchard that night and catch the thief. Ernie stayed there all night, but no one came.  

A few weeks later, there was a dance at the East Kelowna hall.   Shirley and Ernie both went, not knowing each other. They met each other at that dance and Ernie told Shirley about how he had to stay all night in the orchard a few weeks back, trying to catch the grape thief.  Shirley started laughing. Ernie asked what was so funny and Shirley told him that it was she who had eaten the grapes.  They started dating after that but never told Camillo it was she who had been the grape thief.  

Ernie and Shirley were married on April 18, 1949. They lived in a small house near Camillo and Emma.  After the birth of children, Debbie and Gary, they built their family home on KLO Road, further up the hill.  Ernie could often be seen playing cribbage with friends and Shirley liked bowling.  After the children had left home, they would often spend each winter in Yuma, Arizona and made side trips to Las Vegas.

Ernie passed away in 1997, Shirley in 1998 and son, Gary in 2012.  They have four grand children: Leigh, Jaret, Brett and Sarah and five great grandchildren: Kris, Taylor, Nathan, Jacob and Samantha.

Contributed by Debbie Rampone Stotz, daughter