Lorenzo and Liliana Calissi

Lorenzo was born on November 14, 1928 in Castelnuovo di Garfagnana in the province of Lucca, Tuscany. Liliana (Lillian) Maria Coli was born on Aug 2, 1934 also in Castelnuovo.  Lorenzo followed his brother, Pietro, to Kelowna, BC, in 1958.  He worked for Pietro before securing a job with the City of Kelowna as a sidewalk concrete finisher.  Liliana arrived in Kelowna a year later.  Soon after they were married.  Liliana worked for Casabella Winery and some of the local packing houses.

Lorenzo was one of the twenty-one charter members of the Kelowna Canadian Italian Club.  The family recalls that they spent a great deal of time with family and fellow club members at the hall.  Lorenzo enjoyed fishing, wine making, gardening, visiting friends and baking bread. Liliana was a super-shopper, enjoyed picnics, gardening and crocheting.  Both Lorenzo and Liliana enjoyed their garden harvests, spending a great deal of time canning and preserving their harvests.

Liliana and Lorenzo raised three children in the Martin School area of Kelowna. Lorena was born in 1964.  She was a manager at Canadian Tire.  Paolo was born in 1965. Sadly, he passed away at the age of twenty-seven. Walter was born in 1969.  He works at Growers Supply in Kelowna.  Lorenzo and Liliana were blessed with two grand children, Christopher and Jennifer 

Lorenzo passed away on October 18, 1995 and Liliana on August 2, 2007.  They are both laid to rest in Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery. 

Don Rampone, KCIC Heritage Committee