DRUDI, Pio - Pio Drudi died peacefully, on March 17, 2024.
He spent his final days surrounded by his family. He was born on September 10, 1926, in Longiano, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, the second of five children.
In 1951, he immigrated to Canada.
After arriving in Halifax by boat in December, he headed to northern Ontario, ill-prepared for the harsh winter.
Though fluent in French, he spoke no English at the time, and often told the story of his arrival in South Porcupine, where he cried when a passerby spoke to him in Italian.
After working in a Timmins gold mine for several years, he moved to Toronto. It was there that he met Fiorella Angeloni: he first saw her in a photograph at her sister's house and decided she was the one for him.
They married in 1959 and built a life together.
He spent the last years of his life at Villa Colombo. His family is grateful to the staff there who took such thoughtful care of him. He will be deeply missed by his children and their spouses: Irene and Sergio, and Carlo and Rosalinda; his grandchildren and their partners: Cassandra and Dennis, Zachary and Jaleh, Jonathan and Nimisha, and Catherine and Jason; his great-grandchildren: Dash, Jude and Millicent; his sisters, Frances Marchese and Marcella Foschi; his sisters-in-law, Velia Corrente and Antonietta Drudi; and his many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by Fiorella, his wife of 63 years; his parents; and his brothers, Arnold and Bruno Drudi.
A Visitation is scheduled for Friday, March 22nd, from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. at Bernardo Funeral Homes Dufferin Chapel. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home, with interment to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer Society Toronto and Villa Charities Foundation.
{fastsocialshare