Giovanni Salvatore Cannata

A devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and master shoemaker, he leaves behind many family members and friends to mourn his passing, while we also count our blessings to have known and loved such a hardworking, resourceful and generous man.

Born in Spezzano della Sila, a small town in Calabria, Italy, on January 1, 1931 to parents Luigi and Rosina Cannata, Giovanni was the third of seven children.

Giovanni is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Gina; his son Lui Cannata (Lyn); his daughter Rosetta Wilkie (Bill); his grandson Johnathan Cannata (Amanda), his granddaughter Carly Da Silva (Eduardo) and his four great granddaughters, Isabella and Anajulia Cannata, and Harper and Giorgia Da Silva.

Although his name was Giovanni, he was Papa John to us because nothing was more important to him than family. Even in his later years, his eyes still lit up at the sight of his grandchildren and great grandchildren coming to visit.

Always industrious, he was in his early 30s when his brother-in-law Mario offered to sponsor his family so they could emigrate to Canada in 1961. Giovanni, Gina and their young son Lui boarded a ship in Naples and several weeks later they were in Vancouver, starting a new life.

Trained by his father in Italy to be a master shoemaker, he got to work trying to find employment in Vancouver, sometimes walking on foot to the downtown core from east Vancouver to apply for jobs in shoe repair shops up and down Robson Street. Within a year, he had full-time work at the shoe repair shop inside the Bay, where he took great pride in fixing the shoes of his customers for more than 30 years. People said that when they got their shoes back from him, they looked new again.

At home he took the same kind of pride in his garden, which was overflowing with vegetables in the back and flowers in the front, year in and year out.

In between all that work, he liked spending time with family around the dinner table, or on summer weekends, he’d load up the car with a Hibatchi and a gas stove, and drive us all down to Spanish Banks to picnic by the water. Giovanni and Gina also had a wide circle of friends and when they had people over, the dinner, the wine drinking and the laughter often went on into the wee hours.

He loved life and cherished his growing family. His retirement years were probably the best years of his life now that he was free to garden all day and enjoy leisurely lunches cooked by Gina. Together, they hosted family dinners for their children and their families many times a year.

After living an honourable and hardworking life in which he fulfilled every commitment he ever made, it’s time to say our final good-byes to our Papa John.

A service will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 1 p.m. in the Chapel at Oceanview Burial Park, 4000 Imperial Street, Burnaby, with an internment to follow in the Old Abbey Mausoleum.