Pete Casorso and Alice Canty

Pete and Alice Casorso

Napoleon Peter Casorso was born on October 22, 1888 in the Okanagan Mission (Kelowna, BC), to parents Giovanni and Rosa Casorso. Alice Mabel Canty was born May 26, 1904 in Singapore, India, while her father was serving for the English Armed Forces. Alice had an interesting childhood, in that her father (widowed, remarried and having more children), sent Alice and her sister, Mary Ellen, off to Canada, as immigrant children. The girls lived with a family in Ladysmith, BC, until they finished school. Mary Ellen Canty, married George Sutherland, of Kelowna, BC.

Alice married and had a child, Betsy Levirs. When she came to the Casorso farm to work, she brought Betsy with her. Pete offered to adopt Betsy, however, Alice wouldn't agree to that. Pete and Alice were married on May 17, 1928 in Vancouver, BC. They had three children: Velma, 1929 (Bert Sperling), Barbara, 1931 (Neil McDonald), and Norma, 1935 (Donald Barker).  They adopted a son, Kenneth at age 2, 1938 (Belva). Alice was an excellent cook, kept a great garden and liked to crochet and knit. She was particularly proud of keeping a clean house and of her precise laundry practices.

Unfortunately, the marriage did not last.  Alice went on to marry Dominco Lanfranco. They had two children: Ronald and Linda. They lived in the Qualicum Beach area of BC, with Dominico working as a long shore man and as a taxi driver. 

In 1905, Pete made plans to go to College in California. He was given the task of purchasing cattle for the family before he went. His Albertan cattle deal went a long way to establishing his reputation as an "investor with an astute sense of business". In 1909 , Pete and his brothers formed the Casorso Brothers company. They focused on farming, buying, selling and raising cattle and horses. In 1912, they expanded their business interest with the establishment of Casorso Brothers Meat Markets.  By 1919, Pete became manager of the home ranch. 

Pete and his brother, Louis, planted grapes, in 1930, on the Casorso Road property. Pete was part of the Kelowna wine “Syndicate," a consortium launched in 1931. It was named Domestic Wine and By-Products which later became Calona Wines. When Pete retired in 1960, his vineyard was taken over by his daughter, Velma and her husband, Bert.

Contributed by Susan Richardson, granddaughter.