Obituary for
Raffaele « Ralph » De Vita
Beloved father, grandfather, and great grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 25, 2018 at the age of 95, just one month shy of his 96th birthday. Raffaele was born in Bagnoli del Trigno, Italy on November 23, 1922. He attended school in Bagnoli and completed the fifth grade, but due to economic hardship, was unable to further his education. During the war, Raffaele spent two years in a German POW camp where conditions were so dire that he did not believe he would come out alive. But he did indeed survive this ordeal, and after the war he returned to his home town of Bagnoli where, on April 27th of 1949, he married Maria Concetta Finamore, who was to be his beloved wife of 67 years. Together, they came to Canada in order to make a better life for themselves and for their future family. Raffaele was a patient and kind man whose heart was open to all. He had a great affection for his family and loved nothing more than to see his children and grandchildren gathered together enjoying each other’s company. He will be greatly missed by them and by all who knew him. Raffaele was predeceased by his wife, Mary, his parents, Francesco and Michelina, and his grandson, David. He is survived by his brother, Armando, his sister, Carolina and brother-in-law Vittorio; his children Frank(Lori), Edward, and Bruno(Dianne); his grandchildren Nicholas(Lumina), Alex(Roxanne), Sarah(Troy), Rachel, and Giulia; his great-grandchildren Esmé and Olivia. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, all of whom remember him fondly for his loving warmth and kindness. Prayers will be held at St. Jude’s Parish, 3078 Renfrew Street, Vancouver, BC on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 7:00 PM with Mass of Christian Burial to follow on Wednesday, November 7, 2018 at 10:00 AM. Special thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff of Burnaby General Hospital who cared for him in the last two weeks of his life and to his family physician, Dr. Rino Moccia, who so quickly and readily attended to his medical needs during the last few years when his health began to rapidly decline. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the BC Cancer Foundation or a charity of your choice.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Raffaele Ralph
De Vita 1922 2018..
Décès pour la Ville: Burnaby, Province: Colombie britanique
