December 16th, 1936 - January 10th, 2025
Like many born in the 1930s, Delfina had a challenging start to life. She was born in Brendola, Vicenza, Italy, and moved to the Aosta Valley at the age of five, where she grew up. As a teenager, she began working for a local tailor, meticulously stitching suit collars, buttonholes, and other intricate details by hand. Her passion for fine sewing became a lifelong joy and a hallmark of her creativity.
The youngest in a large family, it surprised everyone when, at just 20, she married the love of her life, Mario Canonico, and set off across the Atlantic to start anew in Uruguay. Life wasn’t easy there, but their love and resilience saw them through. Nine years later, with their only daughter born in Uruguay, they moved to Montreal, Canada, where life began to look brighter.
In Montreal, Delfina continued her craft in the garment industry, this time sewing by machine. She led a quiet but fulfilling life, delighting in needle arts such as sewing, quilting, and cross-stitching, leaving behind an abundance of beautiful creations that will forever remind us of her talent and care. She was also an avid reader, immersing herself in murder mysteries and fiction in Italian, French, and occasionally Spanish. Her evenings always ended with a cherished ritual: Italian crossword puzzles—her perfect way to conclude each blessed day.
Losing Mario, her beloved husband of 59 years, in 2015 was a devastating blow. Yet, her life had taught her resilience, and she found the strength to carry on. Each passing year brought new challenges: celiac disease, cancer, a stroke, and acute kidney failure. The final two years of Delfina’s life were especially difficult.
Despite it all, Delfina remained a beacon of strength, humility, joy, and kindness. Her greatest gift to her family was her unwavering, unconditional love for her devoted daughter Carla, her son-in-law John, and her cherished grandchildren Alessia and Adriano. She delighted in seeing her grandchildren find their own loves into the family with open arms, the newest addition, grandson-in-law, Simon.
As her daughter says, the greatest lesson she gave her family, was the importance of perseverance. She showed how to face life’s hardships head-on, to take responsibility for ourselves, and to live fully. She taught to be kind and to love deeply, no matter the circumstances.
Now, she leaves her family and friends with a wealth of memories, a legacy of love, and an example of a life lived with courage and grace. Her absence will be felt profoundly, but her spirit will remain with us always.
She will be missed greatly.
Arrangements entrusted to Roadhouse and Rose Funeral Home