Francesco Favali and Elsie Comazzetto

Elsie and Francesco Comazzetto

How the Favali family settled in Kelowna, B.C.

Palmizio Oreste Favali and Luigia Lenzi were married in Filicaia, a hamlet in Camporgiano, Lucca, Tuscany, on August 21, 1921.  Their first son, Francesco (Frank), was born in Filicaia, on August 19, 1922.  When Luigia was pregnant with their second child, Palmizio left for Canada and settled in Kelowna.  Luigia and the two boys were reunited with Palmizio in Kelowna in late 1929.  They lived at 1226 St. Paul Street and had three more children.  The Italian community was a very tight knit community and the Favali family was active in it. 
 
After relocating to Kelowna, Frank attended elementary school until grade seven. Then he joined his father in the plastering and stucco business, Favali and Sons.  When the war broke out, Frank enlisted and was sent to a training camp in Kamloops, B.C.  He met Elsie Comazzetto, a daughter of a local Italian dairy farmer.  Prior to them getting married in Kamloops on September 2, 1946, Frank built a house for them on Richter Street in Kelowna.  They lived in this house until 1953 when they moved to Kamloops and continued raising their family there.  Frank worked in maintenance for a while and then started a plastering and stucco business with his brother, Mike.  Frank and Elsie had four children; Linda born 1948 in Kelowna, Marlene born 1949 in Kamloops, Jane born 1960 in Kamloops and Glen born 1964 in Kamloops.   Frank was an active member of the Elks Club and Elsie was active in the Royal Purple.  No one ever left the Favali family household empty handed.  Homemade sausages, wine, fresh baked goodies and fresh garden produce were always plentiful.  Elsie was well known for her wonderful baking.  

They lived in their house until their deaths. Frank passed away November 23, 1994 and Elsie passed away September 27, 2015.  They are interred in the Hillside Cemetery in Kamloops along with their daughter, Linda, who passed away September 12, 2010.
 
 Contributed by Marlene Potter, daughter.