God Took Him To His Loving Home
God saw him getting tired, a cure was not to be.
He wrapped him in his loving arms and whispered "Come with me".
He suffered much in silence, his spirit did not bend.
He faced his pain with courage, until the very end.
He tried so hard to stay with us but his fight was not in vain,
God took him to His loving home and freed him from the pain.
It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Felice Palermo, who passed away peacefully after a lengthy illness with his family by his side on Monday May 19, 2014 at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Felice was born on Jan. 8, 1933 in Macchiagodena, Molise, Italy. He married the love of his life Maria Zannella in January 1957 after dating her for seven years.
He immigrated at the young age of 19 to Venezuela to provide for his family. He returned to Italy and operated his own business as an iron worker and blacksmith. He immigrated again to Thunder Bay, Canada in September 1967 to make a better life for his family.
Coming to Canada he changed his career and worked for various construction companies first as a labourer with Sakiyama Brothers, Barbini, Gateway and then as a carpenter with Shore Bay Estates and then Ball Brothers at the Hemlo Mine. A work accident forced him into retirement in 1984.
He was a longtime member of the DaVinci Centre and a lifetime member of St. Dominic's Parish which he also had the pleasure to help build.
His main interests were his family first and foremost his 3 grandchildren. He enjoyed his family get-togethers, talking about old times and his gardening and most of all his winemaking which he passed down to his grandson and son-in-law.
He is survived by his wife Maria of 57 years of marriage; his only daughter Teresa Ciccone and her husband Carmine; grandchildren Maria Ciccone Filane Figliomeni (Dean), Felice Ciccone (girlfriend Christine Saunders) and Angelisa Ferriolo (Luca); sister Teresa Iagallo (Nicola); brother Antonio Palermo (Teresa); sister Addolorata Renzullo (Armando); and youngest sister Luisa Cuccovia (Antonio) from Australia.
He is also survived by his nieces and nephews Domenic Del Paggio (Nikki), Gino Del Paggio (Anita), Danny Palermo (Linda), Maria Gazzola (Tony), Cosimo Palermo (Elisa), Angie Venditti (Mario), Anna Barile (Tony), Marisa Barile (Domenic) of Niagara Falls, New York, Peter Renzullo, Benny Renzullo (Kelly) from Ear Falls, Rosa Renzullo, Donna Nedelkos (Dean) from Australia and Nick Cuccovia (Caroline) from Australia; sisters-in-law Maria Zannella from Italy, Ligia Zannella from Venezuela, and Concetta Vespoli from Sao Paolo Brazil, and many more nieces and nephews and relatives in Canada, United States, Italy, Brazil, Venezuela.
He was predeceased by his mother Teresa in 1936; father Donato Palermo in June 1972; sister Petronilla Del Paggio in 2002; brother-in-law Cosimo Del Paggio in 2004; step-mother Maria Palermo in 2004; brother-in-law and best friend Felice Zannella (Venezuela); brother-in-law Donato Zannella (Italy); sister-in-law Antonietta Vespoli (Brazil); brother-in-law Benedetto Vespoli (Brazil); and brother-in-law Francesco Vespoli (Brazil).
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2014, when family and friends will gather for Funeral Mass at 11 a.m., at St. Dominic's Church celebrated by Rev. Maurizio Maifredi c.s. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Prayers will be offered May 23, 2014 at 8 p.m. in the St. Dominic's Church.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Lung Association, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canadian Diabetes Association or the Canadian Cancer Society.
Felice Palermo will be remembered in the Blake Funeral Chapel Memorial Grove. Annual dedication service Sunday, June 14, 2015.
Online Condolences may be sent to www.blakefuneralchapel.com
