Michele Nicola Carbone

Alumni Type: Immigrant
Country of Origin: Italy
Port of Entry: Halifax
Date of Arrival: Wednesday, February 27, 1963
Age on Arrival: 32 years

33,320 days – this is how long our wonderful Babbo, Dad, and Nonno blessed the earth with his energy, his enthusiasm, and his joy, until he was called to Heaven to join the love his life, our Mother Vitina.

How lucky his children, Anna, Angela, Mike and Rita and our families have been to have created so many joyful memories and experiences with Dad. Memories that we hope will be passed on to future generations of our family who we hope will continue to build upon Dad’s legacy. As we commemorate his legacy by placing his name on the Sobey Wall of Honour, we address this to the Great-Grandchildren and Future Great-Grandchildren of Michele Nicola Carbone:

Your Bisnonno was born on Feb 2, 1931 in Modugno, Italy where he spent the early years of his life. He cut a handsome figure with his thick wavy black hair, riding the streets of Modugno on his Vespa. One of our favourite photos of your Bisnonno features his signature signoff - “A te un ricordo, e a me, la felecita di essera ricordato.” For you a memory, for me the happiness of being remembered”. This would have waxed poetic, if it were not our suspicion that he might have used these photos while pursuing multiple young ladies in town.

Of course, this all changed when he spotted a brown haired beauty embroidering on the balcony, strategically located just across from his family home. She was 14, he 17 and weeks away from starting his military service. But upon his return, about two years later, there was no doubt that he had found the love of his life in your Bisnonna, Vitina. And the courtship began. Michele and Vitina married in Italy in 1954 and your two Great Aunties, Angela and Anna were born soon after.

Your Bisnonno was always ambitious and so he showed great courage, like many immigrants before him and since, disrupting his life in Italy, leaving his family and friends in February 1963 to come to Canada to seek a better life for his family. Not knowing the language, with limited resources and few friends he arrived in Toronto via the port of Halifax after a harrowing trip on the ship Vulcania. He told us there was flooding on the ship at one point as they encountered a bad storm - but he spoke fondly of his trip across the Atlantic that would bring him to his new home. Arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax, he chose Toronto as his final destination, and remembers taking the train to the city that became the "land of opportunity" for him and his family.

After settling in with friends on Manning Avenue - he was able to bring Bisnonna Vitina over a few months later in June 1963, along with 6 year old Zia Angela - leaving 7 year old Zia Anna in Italy with Aunties and Nonna Angela.

Your Great Uncle Mike, the so wanted “masculine child” was born in Canada in 1964 along with his Twin, Great Auntie Rita - considered the bonus child - “gift with purchase”.

As a specialized metal fitter/welder, Bisnonno’s skills were in demand in Canada and he worked hard until he could afford to buy the first family home on Euclid. He had many “side hustles” which were always a source of awe for his family - because “Mr. Mike” as the neighbours called him, could literally do anything. From building a kitchen porch extension to making railings – both which are STILL standing today almost 50 years later, Bisnonno’s abilities were unmatched.

His children have always been grateful for Bisnonno’s courageous choice to come to Canada, because although we feel a connection and pull to the "Motherland" we know that our lives and our family became what it did because of the opportunities that our Dad helped build for us in this beautiful country.

Your Bisnonno provided his children with much guidance and support. He and your Bisnonna never missed a parent-teacher interview night – usually crying with pride after meeting with our teachers. Dad helped with school projects – although mostly with the ones that required some sort of engineering – for which he was not formally trained but was fascinated with.

Your Bisnonno often guided with a firm hand - sometimes more than we would have liked - but always with the only motivation being to protect his children. And always, always he instilled in us the belief that family comes first. So united we stood – on vacations to Staten Island, New York City, Seaside Height, when it was cool because Bon Jovi was from there!

In his later years, as Bisnonna Vitina became ill, Dad showed us the meaning of true love - as he took care of his beloved wife - unconditionally and without hesitation. Learning to cook, giving a new meaning to “patience” and becoming the example to us all of “loving - in sickness and in health.”

Throughout his life, your Great Grandfather showed us the importance of maintaining curiosity about the world, He was interested in everything! From being an early adapter of Facebook (in his 80’s) to surfing the internet for Italian political news, recipes or movies – he was not afraid of technology. His curiosity is what kept him young and kept us on our toes.

During Covid – he showed an incredible spirit when he was able to live at the cottage and at 89 learned new skills and mastered the art of bread & focaccia baking.

Dad relished the adventures we planned for him – whether hitching a ride on a beautiful antique wooden boat on Crystal Lake, being driven around by a bicycle taxi in Paris, visiting the Toronto Police Headquarters, donning a helmet to ride through the mud on a side by side, or walking the Las Vegas strip, he was game for anything – as long as he had approval on any photos taken to document the event.

Dad’s competitive nature was legendary – he enjoyed playing pool with people MUCH younger than him and winning. But as most of us know, he was not always a very good winner. Although this was easily forgiven – because he did have a pretty good “happy dance.”

One of our fondest memories, will always be of Dad, playing the family patriarch and principle cheerleader at the annual Lake Pongfest – where he radiated so much pride – as his clan drifted away into the sunset to the tune of “We are the Champions”.

Dear Future Generations of Michele Carbone, we hope that these glimpses into your Great Grandfather’s life will give you much pride in the knowledge of the awe-inspiring man with great skills and a great heart, that gave way to your existence.

May you be blessed with your Great Grandfather’s faith in the future, to risk everything and move to this beautiful country to start a new life, with his wonder in discovering new things, with his ability to weave a good tale, with his creativity and craftsmanship, with his courage to embrace change, with his enthusiasm for knowledge, and with his commitment to love and keep his family, his proudest achievement, happy.