Pasquale Ruscio

Pasquale 'Pat' Ruscio is the type of person the Sobey Wall of Honour at the Canadian Museum of Immigration was created to memorialize: a hard-working immigrant who helped build, and shape this country. His legacy lives on through his children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.

Pat was born in 1938 in Filadelfia, Catanzaro --in the Calabria region of Italy. He lived his childhood and teen years in Rome, where he learned his trade as a master stonemason. He came from humble beginnings.

For a while, he served in the Italian military. When he was discharged, he was given a train ticket back to Rome and a sandwich. His net worth was that sandwich, and that sandwich had to get him to Rome.

Pat met his wife Annunziata (Nancy) in 1967 by chance while making a delivery to her family home in Genova, Italy. The delivery --which consisted of driving a friend’s car north to Genova as a favour- led to him meeting his wife. Pat and his wife immigrated to Canada in 1967, landing in the small Northern Ontario city of Sault Ste. Marie. Pat worked at Algoma Steel, before starting up Ruscio Masonry and Construction. This company became a major player in the Sault Ste. Marie construction industry. Like many hard working immigrants, retirement did not come easy to Pat. Although he officially retired at age 60, he laid his last brick at 70 years of age. He was also a dedicated family man with five children, and a devout Roman Catholic.

Pat gave without the expectation of anything in return. He put God first and his family was a close second. He did a few big things but he is remembered for doing many, many little things that left a huge impact on his community. The successful Ruscio business presence in Sault Ste. Marie continues.

Pat passed away peacefully at his home on November 21, 2021, at the age of 83. He is remembered and missed by his family and community.