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Tuesday, November 28, 2023
 
 
Giulio and Elena Caldarelli's wedding, 1946. Courtesy of Domenica Mandarino
  Giulio G. Caldarelli was born in a small mountainous town, Santo Stefano di Sessanio, in the Province of Aquila in Central Italy, in 1921.

His father, Domenico, had immigrated to Canada at the beginning of the century and with his earned savings was able to buy land in his home town and build a comfortable home for his family. Giulio and his brothers, Michele and Mario, as well as his father, Domenico, were farmers.

When war was declared in Italy, Giulio was drafted and served his county well. In 1946, after the war, Giulio

Giulio and Elena Caldarelli's wedding, 1946. Courtesy of Domenica Mandarino
  married Elena Gallina and the following year they had a daughter, Domenica. Giulio continued to farm, but post war Italy offered no hope for improvement. In 1951, Giulio decided to immigrate to Canada. In June 1951, he landed
at Halifax’s Pier 21 and proceeded to Windsor, where he joined his cousin’s family. Within a few days he was able to find a job in the construction industry. As time passed, he found living apart from his family hard. On February 2, 1956 his wife and daughter embarked on the same journey he had undertaken five years earlier. The family settled on Louis Ave. in a house that Giulio had bought. The following year, the family was elated at the addition of a son, Michael.
 
Giulio, Elena, Domenica (the daughter) and Michael Caldarelli (the son) in the graduation ceremony of their daughter as a registered nurse. Courtesy of Domenica Mandarino
  Life revolved around the Italian community, St. Angela Merici Church and its clubs. Giulio became a member of the Holy Name Society, Elena joined the Christian Mothers Society, Domenica became an active member of the Youth Clubs and Choir, and Michael joined the Altar Boys Society.

In the late 1960s, Giulio left the construction industry and got a “bona jobba”, as everyone said at that time, as a caretaker with the School Board.

Giulio, Elena, Domenica (the daughter) and Michael Caldarelli (the son) in the graduation ceremony of their daughter as a registered nurse. Courtesy of Domenica Mandarino.
 
In 1970, he was very proud to see his daughter, Domenica, graduate as a Registered Nurse and to see both his children marry. Domenica was married to Florindo Mandarino and Michael to Maria Russo.
 
As time went by, Giulio would tell his grandchildren stories of his home town and Elena would teach her granddaughters how to make pizzelle.

Giulio and Elena Caldarelli (like all other immigrants) had the courage to leave their birth land and to venture out across an ocean, not knowing what awaited them on their journey.

Giulio Caldarelli died in 1996.

 
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The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.

 

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