Family Stories

Guerrino Serani was born in Calgary, Alberta, on October 23, 1914. The family home was located at 412 2nd Avenue N.E., where he and his siblings were born. He attended St. Angela’s School from Grade 1 through Grade 9, just a block from the family residence. Peter and Catherine Serani in front of their house Although he briefly attended St. Mary’s Boys High School, he did not complete Grade 10. Throughout his life, he often spoke fondly of his years at St. Angel

Born in Calgary in 1917, Bill attended St. Angela’s Elementary School and St. Marys’ Boys High School. He left school in 1934 to work in the family business, mainly on city and highway construction sites. In 1948, with the ever- increasing construction in Calgary, Bill and his brother Nado focused their work solely within the city. In 1951, Bill married Delores Stothers and moved into a very small apartment above the company’s garage at 630 Riverside Boulevard, sharing the sp

Giovanni Dipalo was born in 1865 and Rosaria Ciffarelli was born in 1869. They were married in 1889 and were from Altamura, Bari, Italy. Arriving in Calgary in 1908, they settled at 229 3 Ave E with their 2 sons, James (age 11) and Victor. Giovanni worked in construction, and one of the jobs he had was installing the iconic stone at the Banff Springs Hotel. After returning to Calgary from Banff, he went to work for the City at the streetcar barns, where he remained until hi

Luca (Louie) was born in Antrodoco, Italy. In 1913 at the age of 17, he travelled to Calgary where he reunited with his sister Melvina, who emigrated with her husband Giuseppe Fabbi in 1904. (See Fabbi story) He settled in the community of Bridgeland, where he found employment first at Burns Foods, later at the Palliser Hotel and also working in shoe repair. Back Row Lydia Anna Lawrence Nina Front Adelaide Luca Sadly, Luca’s sister, her husband, and their daughter a

Gisa Cioni was the first of the Sabato Cioni children to arrive in Calgary from Antrodoco, Rieti, for her marriage to Ricardo Santopinto in 1912 (see Santopinto Family). Gisa’s mother, Villemina Cattani Cioni had died in 1902, and a year later her father, Sabato Cioni, married Flavia (Fulvia) Cardellini Cioni. They had two sons: Genesio (born April 18, 1907) and Sabatino, born one year later. Genesio (Gene), Gary, Martha, Maria (in front) In 1917, Flavia left her two sons in t

Agatino was born in 1894 Gaggi, Messina Italy, travelling by boat with his father Salvatore and his brother Marino. They arrived at Ellis Island in 1906. After a stay in New York, their father found work with the CPR working his way across Canada and settling the family in Calgary 1908. Agatino (Joe) along with his brother Marino joined Tuxedo Coffee and Spice Mill in 1916, where Joe dedicated 40 years of service to the company. Back Row: Donald, Bertha, Hazel, Joe, Margaret

Marino was born in Gaggi, Messina, Italy, and travelled by boat with his father, Salvatore, and brother, Agatino, arriving at Ellis Island in 1906. After staying in New York, the family worked their way across Canada with the CPR, settling in the Calgary neighbourhood of Hillhurst in 1908. In 1916, Marino and Agatino began working for Tuxedo Coffee and Spice Mills Ltd. Marino, Joe, (Agatino) Lillian Emily with Buck and sister-in-law Bertha, Lillian Marino married Emily Robins

James was born in Altamura Bari, Italy. He came over with his father Giovanni and mother Rosaria in 1908. Attending school and settling into life in Calgary, he enlisted in the Canadian Army with the 1st Regimental Battalion of Alberta, and was discharged as a private in May 1918. After learning the plumbing and heating business, he started his own company: J. Dipalo & Company (Plumbing, Gas Fitters & Tinsmith) in 1919. James married Concetta (Edith) Cozzubbo in 1921. They

Giuseppe and Malvina (Carloni) Fabbi, both hailing from Antocodoco, Italy, embarked on a journey that brought them to Canada. They traveled by ship to the Port of Quebec, continuing their travels they arrived in Calgary on May 1, 1904. Their decision to immigrate was influenced by Malvina’s father, Adelmo Carloni, who had previously visited Calgary before returning to Antrodoco. Impressed by what he had seen, he believed Calgary to be a land of opportunity and encouraged the

Serafino and Palma (Fabi) Serani were among some of the first Italian families to emigrate to Calgary in the early part of the 20th century. They were both born in the central Italian town of Antrodoco in the province of Rieti, in the region of Lazio. Serafino arrived in Calgary in April of 1911, sponsored by his brother-in-law and sister who were already residing in Calgary. Guerrero (Peter) , Serafino , Yolanda, Palma, Joseph (Pep) circa 1926 Palma arr

Lawrence Grassi, born Andrea Lorenzo Grassi on December 20,1890, in Falmenta, Piedmonte, Italy, immigrated to Ontario in 1912, to work for the CPR. Four years later, he moved to Canmore, Alberta to work as a coal miner for the next 30 years, until his retirement in 1955. He then worked as assistant warden of Lake O’Hara, living in a small cabin on the lake’s edge. His true legacy lies in his role as a highly skilled guide and mountain climber. For those of us drawn to the bea

Serafino Taverna was born on 23 July 1887 in Colosimi, Cosenza, Italy. He left Italy in 1906 and arrived at Ellis Island on 21 June 1906. From there, he sailed to Port Arthur, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) to meet up with his brother, eventually travelling to Calgary where he worked at the street car barns for the City. He obtained his Certificate of Naturalization on May 20, 1908. Sebastiana Jennetta Cozzubbo (Jenny) was born November 14 1898 in Caggi, Messina, Italy. Travell

Salvatore Cozzubbo was born in 1861 in Gaggi, Messina Italy. He immigrated to Canada in 1906 along with sons Agatino (Joe) age 12 and Marino age 13. They made their way to Calgary where they settled in the neighborhood of Sunnyside/Hillhurst at 317 -101/2 Street W. While working for the City, Salvatore made a home for his sons till the rest of the family came to join them. Salvatore and Rosaria Rosaria Cozzubbo (Furnari) was born 1875 in Gaggi, Messina, Italy. Sailing fro

By Louie (Luigi) MiottiAs told to me by my mother, Olanda Miotti (1917–2004) My connection to the Corradetti family begins with Annibale Corradetti, my step‑grandfather. I was only four years old when he died in 1952, so my own memories of him are limited, but I grew up hearing stories about him and the family he built in Calgary. As I learned more over the years, I came to understand that Annibale’s story cannot be told without also telling the stories of the three women w

On December 4, 1906, at the age of 28, Giovanni Violini arrived at Ellis Island before travelling by train to Bankhead, Alberta, near Banff, where he found work as a coal miner. One year later, his wife, Luigia Violini, arrived with their two children, Natale and Ferdinando. Maria and Luigi Fantin (left) with Luigia and Giovanni Violini. Their third child, Igenio “Gino,” stayed behind in Urbania, in the province of Pesaro, because he was not yet two months old when the family

Riccardo Santopinto arrived at Ellis Island on the San Giovanni that sailed from Naples, on April 14, 1910. He was 28 years old. He came from Antrodoco, Aquila, where he was born on February 20, 1882. Gisa Cioni, also from Antrodoco, arrived at Ellis Island on July 1, 1912, on the ship Moltke from Naples, at 19 years of age. She was born on June 14, 1893. They lived on the same street in Antrodoco but did not know each other. They were married in Calgary on July 22, 1912. Ric

It is impossible to think of Italian history in southern Alberta without acknowledging the life and contributions of one of its earliest pioneers, namely Giorgio (George) Pocaterra. Giorgio W. Pocaterra was born in Piovene Rocchette, Veneto, Italy, into a prominent aristocratic family. His father was a senior executive in a textile company, and Giorgio's early life reflected the expectations of his status. He received his education in northern Italy, Switzerland and Germany,