NICK ALIMONTI AND SHEILA PAISLEY

Dominico (Nick) Alimonti was born to Joseph and Rosa Alimonti on October 7, 1928, in Kelowna, BC.  His first years were spent at a farm in Mission Creek, across the road from the Father Pandosy Mission, and attending Mission Creek School.  In 1944, his parents purchased a larger farm on Old Vernon Road, where he helped his father.

Sheila Barbara Paisley’s mom, Barbara McCrindle Paisley, was also a pioneer in the Kelowna area, immigrating from Scotland in May 1910, with her first husband, William Henry Paisley.  William passed away in Kelowna in 1925.  Barbara lived in Kelowna until late 1927, when she moved to Princeton, married James Murdoch and ran a restaurant.  Sheila was born to James Murdoch and Barbara Paisley on August 27, 1928 in Princeton, BC.  In early September 1928, Barbara moved back to Kelowna with her three daughters, Jean, Pat and Sheila. In Kelowna, she ran the Teahouse in City Park for many years.  Barbara passed away on June 28, 1964.

Sheila and Nick married in Vancouver, BC, on November 4, 1952.  Upon returning to Kelowna, they lived on the farm with his parents.  In 1956, they moved into Kelowna to a house on Coronation Avenue.  In 1959, they moved to St. Paul Street. and in 1969, to their last house on Kelglen Crescent.

Sheila and Nick had four children: Keith (1955), Nancy (1958), Judie (1960) and Cathy (1964).  Sadly, Judie passed away in 2017, while living in Ottawa, Ontario.

Nick worked for the BC Department of Highways, driving a dump truck, a job he kept until his retirement, thirty-five years later.  Sheila worked part time during their marriage – the Laurel packing house, Super Valu (as a cashier) and the Bay.  

Nick and Sheila were avid campers and spent many summers with their children in different parts of BC.  In later life, they liked to travel on bus tours to Reno, Nevada, to try their hand at gambling.  One of Nick’s last trips was to travel to Italy, with Judie, to visit family, some of whom he had never met before. 

In 2012, Nick hosted a family reunion to celebrate one hundred years in the Kelowna area – a milestone of which he was very proud.  About forty members of the extended Alimonti family were able to attend a dinner and enjoy a display of the family history.

Sheila passed away in July 1984 and Nick continued to live in the house on Kelglen Crescent for a number of years. He then moved into retirement communities until his death in November, 2019.
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Contributed by Nancy and Cathy Alimonti, daughters