Romeo and Ada Orlandi

Ada and Romeo Orlandi

Romeo was born in Renazzo, and Ada in Cento, both part of Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The towns are only 22 kilometres apart and Ada first met Romeo in 1947, while he was working in Cento. In 1951, they married and emigrated to Argentina. In 1958, they welcomed their daughter, Gloria. They returned to Italy in 1962. They found Italy offered limited economic opportunities, so they emigrated to Canada, in 1967, settling in Kelowna, BC, close to Ada’s sister, Luisa Manderioli.

Life in Canada proved challenging for the Orlandis. Romeo had a PhD in Economics from the University of Bologna, Italy, and had extensive experience working as an accountant. But, he was 45 and could not speak English. Romeo tried his hand at orchard work before he made the difficult decision to live alone in Vancouver, for six months, to enrol in formal English classes. He was subsequently hired as comptroller for Sun Rype, working there until his retirement in 1986.

While Romeo was in Vancouver, Ada first found work as a teacher on call with District 23, teaching Spanish and French. After a couple years, she landed full time work as Immaculata High School’s charismatic French teacher. Ada was a gifted linguist. She was fully fluent in Spanish, French, Italian and English. She also spoke Greek, which she learned during her childhood, spent on Rhodes Island, Greece. Ada empathized with young people and was a gifted storyteller. Her students remembered her, lovingly. They were mesmerized by her stories and experiences from other countries. 

Romeo was the perfect social companion. He was a great dancer and fantastic card player, excelling at poker, Canasta and Rummy. He was also an expert at the Argentinian dice game, Generala. Romeo loved philosophical debates and witty stories. He spent much of his time in his garden where he grew “world famous” red green lettuce and sweet strawberries. During breaks from yard work, he watched soccer, boxing, tennis and F1 racing, on TV.

Ada was multi-talented. She had worked as a professional actor when she was a young lady in Italy. She had an uncanny ability to mimic accents. Her great comedic timing made her the hit of any social gathering she attended. Of note, was when she dressed up as “the Befana,” for several families living in an apartment building in Italy. While in Canada, every year she would direct her students, at Immaculata Secondary School, in a one act play, performed totally in French - something unheard of for a high school language class. Ada retired from teaching in 1989.

Ada was also an excellent cook. Romeo and Ada loved to entertain and Ada took it upon herself to master scores of recipes. Her pasta dishes, turkey roast and pork loin medallions were world class, but so were her many desserts: English Trifle, chocolate mousse, bread pudding and brioche.  

Romeo and Ada were generous supporters of the Canadian Italian Club. Ada taught Italian to both children and adults for several decades. She was available whenever a formal Italian translation was required. 

Daughter, Gloria Orlandi, married her high school sweetheart, Geoff Lillos, in 1981. The couple lives in Vancouver, BC. They have a daughter, Sarah (an award-winning interior designer), and son, Stefan (a gifted salesman). Gloria worked in the fashion retail industry in Vancouver for several decades. Gloria and Geoff Lillos recently welcomed their first grandchild.

Romeo died, suddenly, in 1986. Ada passed away in 2016. Romeo and Ada are interred in the Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery.

Contributed by Gloria Lillos, daughter.