GHIONE, Ivo Ghione

We are deeply saddened to announce Dad’s death on Wednesday, November 5, at the age of 82. An immeasurable loss for his children Lisa (Paolo), Yvette (Al), and André (Shannon); and grandchildren, Gianluca and Lucia. After nearly a lifetime of mourning, he is now reunited with his late son Christopher. He will be greatly missed by his sister and lifelong sidekick, Nadia Popovich; niece, Nicole Popovich; and great-niece, Isabella Massey. Also left to mourn are his brother, Robert (Susan); cousins Raymond Colautti and Aileen Maddison and their families; many cousins in Italy and France; and friends in Sault Ste. Marie, Windsor, and the world over.

Dad was predeceased by his parents, Giovanni and Flora (née Carabalona); his brother-in-law, Eli “Itch” Popovich; and his nephew, John Popovich.

Born in Tende, France, a small mountain village in the Maritime Alps, he spent happy early years in Cavallermaggiore, Italy, where his father owned a macelleria, and family lived nearby. Dad’s family moved to Canada in 1949, settling in Windsor, Ontario. For a time, they lived with Flora’s sister and brother-in-law Andreina and Gary Colautti and their family, who played important roles in Dad’s life; his zia was like a second mother to him, and his uncle would become a mentor.

Clever, curious, gregarious, energetic and tough, Dad had a colourful youth full of adventure-and misadventure (likely why his mother’s hair went white so young). But he (mostly) kept out of serious trouble thanks to his parents instilling a strong work ethic: he especially loved working the pumps and servicing cars at Johnny’s Sunoco, the gas station his father managed. Uncle Gary also took him under his wing at Keystone Contractors. Dad played as hard as he worked: competing in wrestling, going to Detroit Tigers games, playing endless rounds of cards, and road tripping with his best pals were some of his favourite memories.

After graduating from the University of Windsor in 1969, Dad accepted a teaching job in Sault Ste. Marie, having taken it on the authority of a good friend that it was a great place to live and raise a family. And it was-“the Soo” always held a special place in Dad’s heart. He found an instant community there among wonderful neighbours, and a new generation of teachers all beginning their careers. He made a whole raft of lifelong friends, including instant best pal Garry “Hulk” James. They set up a contracting business, which kept them busy over their summers for years. Dad continued on with it well after Uncle Hulk’s days of hauling and scaffold-climbing were over, building his last deck just last year, for himself.

In Dad’s 40+ years in the Sault, he taught in the public and separate school systems at Bawating C and VS, St. Basil Secondary, St. Mary’s College, and with the Alternative School Program; and Dad also coached wrestling for a time. He would later count many of his former students and athletes among his good friends, but Dad never forgot a name (or nickname) or a face. If anyone reading this remembers him, he’d have remembered you, too (even if maybe you’d rather he hadn’t), and greeted you with a hearty “Hi!” and a firm handshake.

Though he’d never been a star pupil himself in his youth, Dad highly valued education. He had a genuine passion for geography and world issues, and brought these subjects to life in his teaching. An avid traveller, Dad would often help organize and lead school trips abroad, introducing students to new places-such as France, Mexico and Spain-and cultures, and encouraging them to broaden their horizons.

Dad continued to pursue his own love of learning throughout his life: he obtained his welding certification, a commercial driving license, a degree in Criminology from Lake State Superior College, and TEFL and TOESL teaching accreditations; earned his SCUBA certification (later volunteering with Sault Search and Rescue); trained as a pilot; and studied Arabic and Spanish.

Surprising no one who knew him, Dad continued to work for years after “retirement”: he taught ESL, and led teacher training and course and program development in Italy, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar; and did stints in security. Between contracts, he’d take to the seas on cruises to Alaska, throughout Europe, and in the Caribbean, or on transatlantic crossings-seeking out fellow bridge players at anchor aweigh-or set off on road trips to visit to family and friends. We all quickly learned to expect unexpected visits or earlier arrivals than his ETAs suggested, and to keep brandy on hand for his morning coffee.

In his last years, Dad settled in Windsor to help care for his mother, Flora, at home. When she died in 2023, and his brother-in-law, Itch, in 2024, it was Dad and Nadia against the world-and they made a dynamic duo. One of Dad’s last best decisions was to adopt Ozzy, an irrepressible pup who is pure joy, and who will now be Nadia’s loyal sidekick in Dad’s place.

All of Dad’s pursuits in life spoke to the way he engaged with the world, his community, his church, his students, his friends and neighbours, and his family: by doing. Acts of kindness were Dad’s way of showing he cared. A man of faith, Dad tried to do for others whenever and however he could, whether that was shoveling his neighbours’ driveways, sharing a meal with someone going without, checking in on a friend, volunteering as a Big Brother, bringing Holy Communion to the sick, or simply recognizing humanity.

Grease monkey, road worker, builder, teacher, PI, volunteer, member of the Giovanni Caboto Club, Honorary Alpino (Cuneo Regiment)-Dad wore many hats in his life. But the one he wore best was “Dad”: he loved his children fiercely. And he showed them in countless ways: encouraging their sense of curiosity, sharing his interests and engaging in theirs, guiding and championing their efforts, celebrating their successes, delighting in their joys, holding them close and supporting them through their losses, making sure they’d checked their oil before road trips (or doing it for them), introducing them to double-rich chocolate egg malts, keeping them stocked up on paper products, sending them joke compilation emails, and-once he finally conceded to getting a smartphone-FaceTime-ing just to check in. And the “Nonno” hat? Well, that was the cherry on top: he cherished every moment with his grandchildren, who made him so proud, and he was never happier than when in their company.

Dad had always managed to knuckle through scrapes, so we hoped that this wrestling match with cancer would have the same outcome, and he’d be with us another 10 years, if not 20. But Dad knew better, and got everything squared away just as he wanted before he set off peacefully on this last journey, right down to prepping the front porch for repainting. (We’ve got it from here, Pop.)

We would like to thank the Windsor Regional Cancer Centre 4W nursing staff; Lauren Witherow; and Drs. Meadows, Huang, and Naeem for their efforts, care, and support. Special thanks to Dr. Tayag at Border City Family Health for always looking out for Dad.

A memorial visitation will take place at St. Angela Merici Church, 980 Louis Ave, Windsor ON, on Monday, November 10, 2025, from 10 am until the time of the Funeral Mass at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to SickKids Foundation, Canadian Cancer

Society, or Windsor Essex Food Bank Association.