SCARDELLATO, Gabriel Pietro "Gabe" - Scholar, teacher, editor, gardener, cook, furniture-maker, pet-lover, father, nonno, partner, friend.
Died at home with family at his side on August 8, 2020, after a short and brutal round with cancer.
Survived by his partner, Kathy; children, Matteo (Kristin) and Stephanie (Alex); grandchildren, Rosalie and Camilla; sister (Teresa) and family; mother-in-law, Vonnie; and the extended Dixon family; and his extended family in Italy. Predeceased by his parents, Arcangelo Scardellato and Celina Busatto; his sister, Claudia Taylor; and his father-in-law, Dr. Keith Dixon.
Gabe was born in Treviso, Italy, educated in BC and England, and worked in Vancouver, Rome and Toronto.
Most recently, he held the Mariano A. Elia Chair in Italian Canadian Studies at York University.
Focused on the history of Italian immigration to Canada, he especially loved talking with people of all backgrounds about the Canadian immigrant experience.
He was a gentle, hands-on parent, wonderful cook, loved the outdoors, especially beach-combing and forest-walking, making furniture, nurturing his garden and his pets, and, like his father and mother, he loved singing. He had good friends in Canada and Europe, whom he greatly valued. Thanks in great part to them, he really enjoyed his life in all these places.
Reflecting in the past weeks, and still audibly enraged by news of the avoidable suffering of others, he observed many times that he had 'lived a very privileged life.'
Thanks to his Princess Margaret Hospital oncologist, Dr. Charles Catton, his Toronto General Hospital health care team, and his home palliative care team (Gimjad, Tatiana, Alyssia and Leea).
At his request, there will be a cremation. A happy celebration of his life will be held sometime soon.
{fastsocialshare