Mr. Carmine Silvestri

Those of us who loved him, & ache with his passing, know Dad by other names such as Pa, Papa, Nonno, Tatone by his Grand Children & Zi Carmine by his nieces and nephews. To so many others that knew him, above all, as a friend.

Dad was born on December 27, 1919 in Cugnoli, Provincia di Pescara, Italy. He would have completed his 94th in December.

He comes from a family of 11 children, 4 brothers & 7 sisters.

Dad served in the Second World War & was a prisoner of camp in Germany until he was freed.

He immigrated to Canada in 1959 to get established & the rest of the family immigrated in 1960.

He leaves behind; 5 children, 13 Grand Children & 11 Great Grand Children.

Dad lost Mom (Antonietta) when she was 54 & Carmela our step Mom a few years ago.

Our father was a man that was kind & generous. He loved all of us with such joy & pride that it lit up his face every time we were together.

We all had our own special friendship with him & we all loved him in our own special ways.

Dad was a man of few words. His presence unified us as a family & gave us a level of love, comfort & security. He was our pillar. Dad always supported us.

Dad worked hard his whole life. He loved gardening & it became a great pass time for him in his later years. He had a green thumb & nurtured everything he planted.

Dad also loved to dance. There was nothing that he enjoyed more than a tango & a good tarantella.

He never complained or ever got angry. He would diffuse conflict by saying things like; “OK you're always right” in other words “tu ai sempre raggione”.

Grand children creating a raucous, was music to his ears. In his younger days he would join them on the floor for the horse play. If any of us ever complained about the noise. He would always say “let them be, they are normal kids, they are supposed to do this”.

When he got sick he needed to maintain his dignity. To the end he was a proud man & passed out of this world with dignity & grace.

Dad raised us to be proud, strong men & women. We know that he was proud of all that we did for ourselves & the families we are raising & providing for just like he did for us. We hope to instill in our children the values that their grandfather instilled in us. Although he left us with some big shoes to fill, we will try to carry on his legacy.

His family was the most important thing to him & always made sure that we were OK. Dad gave us, a sense of security in a loving home. He adored our mother & was always playful. They were like two love birds. We were lucky to have parents that cared so much for one another, & that cared so much for us.

Dad was a caring & sensitive man. He would do anything for anyone. He hated to see someone down on their luck or in need of help. He was a true gentleman.

Dad may have left this world for a better place, but his words of wisdom, & all that he taught us will never leave. My brothers, sisters & I will keep him with us daily & remember all he taught us about being good & making an honest living.

“We cannot know for certain how long we have here. We cannot foresee the trials or misfortunes that will test us along the way. We cannot know God's plan for us.

What we can do is to live out our lives as best we can with purpose, love & joy. We can use each day to show those who are closest to us how much we care about them, & treat others with the same kindness & respect that we wish for ourselves.”

As you know so well, the passage of time never really heals the tragic memory of the loss of a loved one. We must carry on, because we have to, because our loved one would want us to. Because there is still light to guide us in the world from the love they gave us.

Dad has gone home now, guided by his faith & by the light of those he has loved & lost. At last he is with them once more, leaving those of us who grieve his passing with the memories he gave us & the good he did. We will always remember the enduring image of his “lit up face, his velvety white hair & his baby blue eyes” every time we were together.

We love you Dad & don't forget to give Mommy & Carmela a big hug & kiss for us.

May God bless you Dad, & may you rest in eternal peace.

With Love, I tuoi figli: Sergio, Adriana, Enzo, Giancarlo e Miranda