KELOWNA CANADIAN ITALIAN CLUB
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Le prime famiglie italiane di Kelowna 

The first Italian families of Kelowna

Rosario Di Maria and Giovanna Randazzo

6/29/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
(L-R) Rosario, Salvatore (Sam), Giovanna and Maria on the Saturna
Rosario was born in 1925, to parents Salvatore DiMaria and Maria Gulliotta. They farmed grapes and wheat in in San Giuseppe, Jato, Sicily.   Giovanna was also born in 1925, in San Giuseppe to parents, Antonio Randazzo and Serafina Pilato. Rosario and Giovanna were married in 1952.

In November, 1958, Rosario, Giovanna and children, Salvatore (Sam) and Maria, departed Sicily seeking a better life and more opportunity.  They boarded the Saturna, in the port of Palermo, Italy, stopped in Naples, Italy and Lisbon, Spain, and landed in Halifax, Canada. The seas were very rough.  Due to seasickness, Giovanna stayed in the cabin the entire time.  Sam remembers the boat swaying, as the buns rolled off the table and  him running to fetch them.  They landed at Pier 21, in Halifax, and took the train across Canada to Kelowna, BC,  where they encountered cold wintery conditions.  This is the first time they had seen snow.

Rosario worked for Stewart Brother Nurseries, in East Kelowna, at Calona Wines, and eventually at Crown Zellerbach Sawmill.  Two more children were born in Canada: Antonio (Tony) in 1961 and Serafina (Sara) in 1964.  Rosario and Giovanna bought an orchard on Mail Road, Kelowna in 1962.  They saved hard to build a new house which they moved into in 1966.

During the daytime, Rosario worked hard in the orchard.  He planted apple and pear trees and vegetables during the day and worked the graveyard shift at the sawmill. In 1974 they bought an old orchard in Okanagan Centre and replanted it to grapes.  Rosario and Giovanna had an incredible work ethic.  They welcomed company at anytime, sharing a meal, vino and friendship.  Rosario died May 19, 2000 and Giovanna died January 3, 2017.  They are both interred at Lakeview Memorial Gardens, Kelowna, BC.  Their children: Sam (Patti Anderson), Mary (Jim Hawes), Tony (Maria Anfuso) and Sara (Antonio Cimino).
​
Sam and Patti Di Maria
1 Comment
Tony Gonçalves.
6/29/2021 10:15:31 am

Nice people, that was a pledger to know.

Reply



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    Research and photos of First Families by Don Rampone

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  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • About KCIC and Our History
    • President's Message
    • Vice President's Message
    • Executive and Directors
    • Membership
    • Volunteers
  • NEWS & ARTICLES
    • The Grapevine Newsletter
    • THE ITALIAN GARDENER
    • Kelowna's First Families
    • Pietro's Spazio Sport
    • Book Reviews
    • Mangia Mangia Recipes
  • WHAT'S HAPPENING AT KCIC
    • 2023 Calendar
    • Club Happenings >
      • Joe Avati World Tour
      • KCIC Dinners & Special Events
      • La Nostra Famiglia Italiana >
        • Upcoming NFI Events >
          • NFI - Spaghetti
        • Past NFI Events >
          • NFI - Bisnonno
          • NFI - L'Acqua
          • NFI - Terrazzo
          • NFI - Guerra
          • NFI - Lilia
          • Coming to Pier 21
          • Dalla Terra
          • Dialetti!
          • Sveva Caetani
          • Emilio Picariello
        • Family Tree Workshops
        • Between Neighbours
      • Giuseppe's Cafe
      • La Bella Tavola - Cooking Classes
      • Bocce
      • La Scuola Italiana - Italian Language
      • KCIC Library
    • Il Nostro Lascito Legacy Project
    • Our 55th Birthday!
  • More From Us
    • CONTACT US
    • 50th ANNIVERSARY >
      • 50th Anniversary
      • Mercato
      • Dinner & Dance Gala
    • Miss Kelowna Cdn. Italian Club
    • PHOTOS >
      • Photos
    • Calendar Page
  • Take Out Dinners
  • New Page