My dad was a great man. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather.

He came to this country at 18 yrs old with just a suitcase and $20.

He worked for S&C Electric for 44 yrs. He got that job because he kept going back until they found a job for him; he even got them to fill out the application for him. He started with the job of washing the metal with acid before it went to be painted. At the end of his career, he was running the entire Afternoon Shift and could run every piece of equipment in the place.

He married my mom in 1967, and even though he wanted to wait 5 yrs before starting a family, my sister Julie was born in 1968. I was born a few years later, when I was told they didn’t have 2 nickels to rub together, but my parents made it work.

Julie and I had wonderful childhoods. Dad was funny and playful. When I was a teenager, and was up all hours of the night, he used to leave the vacuum cleaner running outside my door. He thought that was real funny.

One time when my dad was grocery shopping on his own, he ended up following a Maltese couple throughout the whole store. He knew they were Maltese because the woman was nagging her husband the whole way in that language. Her husband even asked her to stop; he said people could hear her. She replied back that no one there spoke Maltese and didn’t understand what she was saying and she continued. My dad continued to be behind them even when they were cashing out. Once they were done and about to leave. My dad wished them a good day in Maltese and enjoyed watching the woman’s mouth hang open.

The last story I’d like to share shows what a brave man he also was. It was 88 and my parents were still living in Brampton. It was a Sunday and my dad went out for a drive. He hadn’t gone far when he came to a Stop sign where no houses faced. There was a newspaper box at the corner. When he was approaching the Stop sign, he noticed a man and little girl, about 10, the man had the girl by her hair. My dad rolled down the window and told the man to let go of the girl. The man told him to mind his own business. That’s when the girl starting screaming that she didn’t know she man and pleaded for help. He dad got out of his car, ran across the street, and before the other guy knew what was happening, my dad punched him in the face, and knocked him to the ground. At this exact time, a police officer was driving by. When the Officer sorted everything out, it was discovered that the girl had been sent by her father to get a newspaper. The man that assaulted her was coming up the street just as she was getting her paper from the box. He yelled to her to keep the door open. This man had a history of stealing papers and re-selling them. When she didn’t leave the door open that’s when he grabbed her and my dad came along. The Officer also found a knife on the man.

As I said my dad a great man and I am proud to be his daughter.