Giuseppina Pinelli

Giuseppina (Giuseppa) Pinelli (nee Antenucci) passed away peacefully, surrounded both in body and in spirit by her loving family on Friday December 23, 2022, at the Cortellucci Hospital-Vaughan, ON, in her 103rd year.

Beloved wife of the late Luigi and loving mother of Maria Cipriani, Angela (Tonino Tracanna), Giovanna (Mario Di Domizio), Mickey (John Iantorno), Frank (Silvana Ferrantone), Linda (Jacques LeDren) and the late Tony. Cherished Nonna of 19 Grandchildren and 23 Great Grandchildren. She will be sadly missed by many family and friends.

Friends may visit at the Kane-Jerrett Funeral Home-Vaughan Chapel, 8088 Yonge Street (south of Highway #7-north of Steeles Avenue, at Royal Orchard) Thursday, December 29, 2022 from 2-4pm. and 6 -8 pm. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint David's Roman Catholic Church, 2601 Major Mackenzie Drive, Maple, Ontario at 9:30 am. on Friday December 30, 2022 followed by entombment at Beechwood Cemetery, Concord, ON.

A most special thanks to her caregiver Pardeep for the loving care she provided which truly made Mom’s final years comfortable and enjoyable.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Giuseppina to the Heart & Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family or Sick Kids Hospital

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kanejerrett-thornhill.ca for the Pinelli family.

EULOGY

(Delivered by granddaughter Cristelle Pinelli-LeDren)

Thank you for joining us this morning to pray for Giuseppina Pinelli, my Nonna.

Nonna was a devout Catholic who went to mass regularly. She looked forward to reading the news bulletin sent from the Messenger of Saint Anthony each month. In her quiet times, Nonna recited the Rosary and would read excerpts from the Bible. When she no longer could attend the Sunday Masses here at St. David’s Parish, Father Ernie would visit Nonna in her home to give her the eucharist. Nonna really enjoyed these visits and was so happy to share any of her baked goods, or vegetables from the garden with Father Ernie. But what Nonna enjoyed most was to be able to talk and to share a quiet moment with Father Ernie. Nonna would remind her children and her grandchildren to be good Christians, to be kind, to care and offer help to everyone and to follow the teachings of the bible. Nonna showed everyone how to be close to God and she passed on the love of Jesus which we now carry daily in all our hearts.

Nonna was born in Colle Marini, Isernia, Italy on March 19 in 1920. She was the youngest of four children born to Giambattista Antenucci and Maria Angela Antenucci. First came Domenico, then Gaetana, Antonio and lastly Nonna.

Nonna’s family were dairy farmers. They were considered to be one of the largest producers of milk in the area. Nonno’s family had several acres of land and they produced lots of corn and hay, which was sold to feed the animals in the area. The saying goes that Nonna’s family had the cows and Nonno’s family had the corn and so it was a match made in heaven!

In March of 1938, at the age of 18, Nonna married Nonno Luigi. They had a church ceremony in the morning and returned to work the fields that afternoon. There was no time or money for a honeymoon. And that humble beginning survived many years of hardship and joy. Nonno and Nonna celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary in 2008, the same year that our beloved Nonno joined God and his angels.

After the second war, times were very difficult. So in 1954 Nonno left for Canada, leaving behind Nonna and five children (Mary, Angela, JoAnn, Mickey and Tony). Meanwhile Nonna cared for the children and looked after the fields on her own. It took Nonno four years to save enough money for a two bedroom bungalow at 903 Castlefield Avenue. In 1958, Nonno called for his dear Giuseppina and his five children to join him in Canada. Nonno converted the dining room into a third bedroom, where the children slept three in a bed. In late 1958 Frank was born and thirteen months later Linda arrived. And then there were 9 people sharing the one main bathroom of the home!

Nonna’s passion was to feed her family, even after they all moved out. She would bake 7 pizzas and call her children to come pick up a pizza on their way home from work. And trust me, no one ever refused the opportunity to enjoy one of Nonna’s pizzas!

Nonna was famous for her homemade pasta, tomato sauce, cakes and cookies…all created using the ingredients grown from her garden. On the weekends, her joy was to have the house full of her children and her grandchildren. To watch them eat the food she prepared with love was her ultimate reward. She would remind us that we needed to eat a variety of foods to be healthy. Now when we are enjoying a family meal, we often will turn to one another and share Nonna’s famous words;

“Mangia, nonna mangia” or “You have to eat everything, Nonna” .

Together, Nonno and Nonna created 7 children, 19 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren. (that’s 49 people in total!) They will always be the pillars of the Pinelli family.

Nonna we could not have asked for a more caring, loving grandmother.

You have taught all the women in this family to be strong minded and to fight for the well being of our children and family.

Your priority was to ensure that we felt loved and that we were well cared for.

You will be remembered for your love of the garden and all things food related.

Your generosity is humbling…if anyone admired any object in your home you insisted on them having it.

You are the chic Nonna that was dressed impeccably, with accessories, hats, sunglasses, bracelets, necklaces, earrings….classy right to the end…

You had an easy laughter about you, always easy to please, always joyous and the most winning smile in the world..

We pray that we have inherited your genes for good health and long life…You have shown us the way to God. You have greatly influenced who we have become.

Nonna and Nonno, we promise to continue your legacy by always remembering the importance of unity of family. May our families continue to grow, love and cherish each other in your honour. Because, without family we are nothing.

I like to say a small prayer in closing. (In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit)

Beloved Jesus, Saint Joseph and blessed Mother Mary, we ask that you accept our dear Nonna Giuseppina Pinelli into your open arms. Please reunite her with all our departed loved ones and send comfort here on Earth to all of us as we feel her loss. We celebrate her life with gratitude for all the wonderful moments we had with her.

( In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) Amen.

Nonna, Give Zio Tony and Nonno Luigi a big hug for us.

Arriverderci al paridiso.