Ignazio Giona

Ignazio, lovingly referred to as Gino, was born on Tuesday, April 21st, 1936, in Frosinone, Italy to his father Antonio and mother Giovanna. As one of 9 children, he shared his early life with his siblings. The family moved to Belgium before the war, where Gino spent his formative years until he emigrated to Canada in the late 1950s.

It was in Canada where he met the love of his life, Elena. Together, they planted deep roots and built a loving home, raising their own 3 children - Domenic (Judi), Tina (predeceased), and Frances (Steve) - while also graciously fostering many other children. Ignazio and Elena recently celebrated 67 years married.

Gino was a man truly masterful with his hands, and his career was marked by his passion for building and interacting with others. He brought his skills to various roles, including welding, construction, and driving trucks for Bad Boy. He retired from the automotive parts supplier Dayco in the early 1990's, but his greatest gift was his ability to connect with people. He quickly found a new shine as a beloved greeter at Metro groceries, making everyone feel welcome day in and day out with his genuine smile and the twinkle in his eye.

An avid lover of the outdoors, Gino was happiest tending to his home in King City. He poured his heart into gardening and managing a wonderful hobby farm that was home to so many animals, including dogs, horses, pigs, chickens, and rabbits - and subsequently fond memories.

Gino approached every hands-on project with fearless gusto and ambition, a quality that was often met with amusing setbacks and tumbles. Though his ambitious spirit occasionally resulted in bumps, he'd always quickly get back up with a grin, possessing a resilience matched only by his good humor. And when he's demonstrate that remarkable strength in a way that would yield him to make his way over to Southlake, he’d have the nurses and doctors smiling and laughing at his jokes and joyful outlook on life. "C'est la vie," he would often say with a smile, "Don't cry about it, laugh about it." Such are the parting words he leaves us, in the hopes that we find the positive in all that we do.

Gino's legacy lives on through his large and loving family. He will be dearly missed by his surviving wife, Elena and his devoted children. His 7 grandchildren will also deeply miss their Nonno: Mike (Sarah), Robert (Tana), Stephanie, Kristina (Andrew), Rebecca, Eric, and Sienna, as will his 8 great-grandchildren: Caitlin, Adam, Cristian, Nico, Luca, Julianna, Anthony, and Olivia.

The family invites friends and loved ones to join them in celebrating Ignazio's life at the Thompson Funeral Home, 530 Industrial Pkwy S, Aurora, ON L4G 3W7, on Sunday, November 2nd from 1pm-4pm . A Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel on Monday, November 3, 2025 at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to CAMH or Foster Parents Society of Ontario.