Mario Dapavo and Sabina Luperelli

Sabina and Mario

In 1949, Mario Dapavo emigrated to Kelowna, BC, from Frinco, Asti, Piedmont, Italy. He was born on August 27th, 1920, the second youngest in a family of six siblings of Giovanni and Marcellina Dapavo. Sponsored by his cousin, Dino Dapavo, he worked as a farm hand until getting into the logging industry and finally working for the City of Kelowna in 1963. He retired as a foreman in 1985.

The six-foot-one Mario, met, and later married the diminutive five-foot-one Sabina Luperelli on Jan 11th, 1958. Sabina (born Nov 24th, 1921) came to Kelowna from Santo Stefano del Sole, Italy (Naples area) in early 1956. She followed her sister, Maria Petretta. Initially she worked as housekeeper, for the Capozzi family, then working dual jobs at the fruit packing house and Stewart Brothers nursery. She worked for many years at Royal Bakery on Bernard Avenue and finally, a ten year career at the Capri Hotel.

Mario was a hunter and avid fisherman, greatly enjoying the great Okanagan outdoors. Sabina and Mario enjoyed their large garden with the fruits of their labour, a great variety of vegetables and fruit trees. Sabina was also a great cook. She hosted other Italian families and interchanged great dinners with the Petretta and Zaino families on special holiday occasions.

Mario and Sabina had twins, Louie and John on Sept 27th, 1958. Unfortunately, John past away 3 days later. After eleven years into their retirement, they made the decision in 1997, to move to North Vancouver to be closer to Louie, his wife Laurie and grandchildren: Kelsey, Stephanie and Julia. Mario passed away in October of 1999 and the ever youthful Sabina lived another twenty plus years. The great matriarch of the Dapavo family passed away in March 2020, a year and a bit before her 100th birthday.
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Louie Dapavo