Lorenzo Siviglia and Giuseppa Priolo

Lorenzo, Giuseppina and Caterina

Lorenzo Siviglia was born on April 5,1885, to parents, Antonio Carmelo Siviglia and Lucia Stellitano in Ghorio di Roghudi, Reggio Calabria, Italy.  Soon after the family moved to Pietrapennata, a small town near Palizzi, Reggio Calabria, Italy. Lorenzo was met by his cousin, Antonio, when he immigrated in 1908.  From New York, Lorenzo made his way to Saskatchewan. In 1915, at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, he enlisted in the Canadian Over Seas Expeditionary Force.  After his service, he was granted a quarter section of farmland near Saskatoon.  Lorenzo’s brother, Francesco, who was also living in Saskatchewan, was a member of the 97th Regiment Infantry.  He was killed in action in 1916.  Another brother, Annunziato, and a sister, Yolanda, remained in Italy. 

Lorenzo returned to Italy in 1919 and married Giuseppa Priolo.  Giuseppa was born July 11,  1892, to parents Luigi Priolo and Caterina Lombardo. In 1920, Lorenzo returned to Canada, landing in Montreal. Giuseppa remained in Pietrapennata, Italy, making her way, via the port of Quebec, to Saskatoon in 1921.  In 1929 the Siviglias made their way to Kimberley, BC, to work at Cominco Mines.  In 1930, while in Kimberley, they adopted Giuseppa’s niece, Caterina Priolo. Caterina was born in Palizzi, Italy, in 1920.  Lorenzo and Giuseppa remained in Kimberley until 1944. 

Upon retirement, Lorenzo and Giuseppa made their way to Kelowna, BC, and Caterina moved to Calgary, Alberta, to attend business school.   In 1946, Lorenzo applied for a Kelowna bread dealers’ licence.  They lived a simple life… no car and no phone… but they grew a huge garden with fruit trees and they raised chickens for fresh eggs.  

Caterina remained in Calgary and married Guerino (Peter) Serani. They had two boys: Nello (Rosa) in Calgary and Rick (Danielle) in Kelowna. The Serani family paid many visits to the Siviglias during their summer vacation… it was the popular thing to do at the time.  Lorenzo passed away January 1, 1968 and Giuseppa May 23, 1977.  They are buried in the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.
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Nello Serani and Don Rampone