PALMERIO, Giuseppina “Pina” Palmerio

It is with deep love and sadness that the family of Giuseppina “Pina” Palmerio announce her peaceful passing on May 18, 2026, at Hospice Peterborough, surrounded by her loving family. Pina was born on March 3, 1936, in Aprigliano, Italy.

Giuseppina “Pina” Palmerio was predeceased by her beloved husband, Antonio “Tony” Palmerio, who passed away on June 4, 2005. Together they built a life rooted in faith, family, resilience, and love after marrying in 1962 in Chapleau, Ontario.

She will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Maria David and son-in-law David; sons, Nicholino and Franco Palmerio; her cherished grandchildren, Chiara Lackey and her husband Kenton, and Alexzander; and by her treasured great-grandsons, Asher and Oakes Lackey. Pina is also survived by her sister, Rita Defrancesca.

She was predeceased by her brother Antonio Petrone (2008), her sister Rosina Perri (2016), and her brother Salvatore Petrone (2023).

Pina’s faith was deeply rooted from a young age and remained the foundation of her life. As a young woman, she travelled to the Vatican with hopes of becoming a nun. Although illness forced her to return home, her devotion to God never wavered and only grew stronger throughout the years.

In 1962, with remarkable courage and determination, Pina left her home in Italy and crossed the Atlantic by boat to begin a new life in Canada. Before leaving Italy, she and Tony were married by proxy, a reflection of the deep trust and commitment that would shape their life together. Introduced through family connections by her sister Rosa who had already settled in Canada, Pina met Tony for the first time upon arriving in Canada in January, and the two were officially married later that same month in the small Northern Ontario town of Chapleau. Leaving behind the warmth and familiarity of Italy for the harsh Canadian winter, she embraced her new life with strength, hope, and unwavering perseverance.

Family was the centre of Pina’s world and the source of her greatest joy. For the last 18 years, she lived with her daughter and was blessed to share in the everyday moments, milestones, and memories of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Deeply proud of her Italian heritage, she filled her home with warmth, tradition, and love… especially through the cherished Sunday family dinners that brought everyone together around the table. Even in her later years, she continued helping in the kitchen whenever she could, expressing her love through food, hospitality, and togetherness.

Pina also had a lifelong love of gardening and possessed a remarkable green thumb that seemed capable of making anything grow, anywhere. She took great pride in her flowers, vegetables, and the simple joy that came from tending to the earth. Gardening was one of the many ways she cared for those she loved, always ensuring there was something fresh to share with family around the table. Even in her final days, her passion for gardening never faded, insisting her son-in-law get the vegetable plants early and start the garden despite the lingering frost outside. Her love for life, growth, and nurturing others could be seen in every garden she planted and every meal she helped prepare.

Pina will always be remembered for her unforgettable smile, warm, welcoming, and ever-present. No matter the circumstances, she greeted family, friends, and visitors with kindness and grace that made everyone feel loved. Even in her final days, that beautiful smile remained, and it is how so many will forever remember her.

Her love, faith, strength, and devotion to family will live on in all who were fortunate enough to know her.