Adele "Lina" Paolillo

Lina will be reunited with her beloved husband Joe (Giuseppe), whom she missed dearly every day. Cherished mother of Rita and Mario (Marianne), proud grandmother of Jesse (Tiffany) and Shanda (Ray), and adored great-grandmother of Bentley, Paisley, Gianni, and Nico. Dear sister of Sam and predeceased by her siblings Rosa Longo and Joe Prestipino. Lina will be fondly remembered by her sisters-in-law Pierina (Guelph), Maria and Rosaria in Siciliy, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends here and abroad.

Lina’s love was most deeply felt around her table and in her garden. An exceptional cook and baker, she was famous for her homemade crostoli and for making nearly everything from scratch — cheeses like provolone, bocconcini, and ricotta, as well as breads, pizzas, sauces, and countless family meals made with love. She had a remarkable green thumb and took immense pride in her flowers and gardens. Her dahlias, once featured in Caught in Guelph, grew “as big as your head,” and her yard was so beautiful that a passerby once left a note in her mailbox simply to thank her for sharing it with the world. She lovingly tended vegetables, grapes, and fruit trees of every kind.

Lina was the heart of her family — strong, generous, witty, deeply faithful, and endlessly giving to others. She was everyone’s confidante, always ready with advice, whether asked for or not, and somehow always at exactly the right time. She was her family’s rock, biggest supporter, voice of reason, and keeper of family history. To her grandchildren she was pure magic; to her friends, a true treasure. Her strength, kindness, laughter, and unwavering love will live on through the family she cherished so deeply.

Friends will be received from 2:00 and 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Thursday, May 28 at Gilbert MacIntyre and Son Funeral Home, 1099 Gordon St. Guelph. A funeral mass will take place at 10:00 am on Friday, May 29 at St. John’s Catholic Church, 45 Victoria Rd N, Guelph, followed by entombment at the Our Lady Immaculate Mausoleum in Marymount Cemetery, 5400 Hwy 6, Guelph.

If desired, as expressions of sympathy in lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Adele to Hospice Wellington or St. Joseph's Health Centre would be appreciated by the family.