CIMPELLO, Carmela (née Bortolin) - Carmela Cimpello née Bortolin (a.k.a. Nonna and Bisnonna), beloved wife of 50 years to the late Luigi Cimpello, passed away peacefully with her grandchildren, David and Kathryn, by her side at Villa Marconi, Ottawa, in her 102nd year on Tuesday, September 21, 2021.
We are so very lucky to have had her in our lives for so long and she will be missed. She was a lady to be reckoned with and lived an amazingly long life.
Born in northern Italy, in the small town of Sacile in 1920, she lived through the Great Depression and Second World War in Italy and emigrated to Toronto in 1949, with her two young boys (Peter and Aldo) to join her husband, Luigi, who had gone ahead to secure work. She worked in the Nielson chocolate factory and the grandkids will always remember the supply of chocolate bars she had during visits.
There are so many memories centred around her kitchen - Mangia! Mangia! Her food was unrivalled (the best lasagna and cannelloni, ever!), the holiday family meals epic, and her stubbornness and work ethic admirable. Family meant the world to her and she was able to watch her grandkids grow, marry, and give her great grandchildren whom she adored and fed with love and biscotti.
She has missed her beloved Luigi for nearly 31 years and she will be missed by her two sons, Peter (Elizabeth) of Burlington and Aldo (Lynn) of Ottawa and five grandchildren, David (Jaime) of Ottawa, Peter (Katie) of Cincinnati, Kathryn (Adam) of Ottawa, Andra (Darin) of Woodstock, and Sarah of Hamilton. She was adored by her twelve great-grandkids - Thomas, Annabelle, Abigail, Luke, Natalie, Isaac, Ella, Caity, Gemma, Lorelei, Caleb, and Owen. The Bellomo/Bellio family, her niece Regina Le Piane and many extended family members in Toronto, and many nieces and nephews in Italy will miss her presence and share in our fond memories. She will also be deeply missed by Ivana, who was like a daughter to her, and her family who are very special honorary members of the Cimpello family.
She was also an active member of Toronto’s Italian community throughout her years living there. We are so grateful that we had her in our lives for so many years and our kids got to know her and she got to know them. Noi amiamo, Nonna.
Arrangements and livestream service details are entrusted with Ward Funeral Homes, Weston Chapel.
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