À la mémoire de
Ernie Corsi
21 août 1926 –
9 mai 2021
Dad, grandpa, great-grandpa, father-in-law, brother, uncle, and friend
On May 9th, our dad (Ernie) gave our mom the best Mother’s Day present – he joined her in heaven. Rose has waited patiently for close to 6 years for them to be reunited. Like our mom, he went reluctantly as he wished to hang around a little longer to make sure we would be okay and that we knew much he loved us. But, it was his time, and while we were not ready to let him go, we are grateful that he went peacefully surrounded by the virtual presence and love of those most important to him.
For those of you who know the stories of Ernie, you know he was an important part of life at Post Inn Village. While he initially went there to be with our mom, it quickly became his home, and those that cared for him became an extension of his family. A big thank you to the team for being there for Ernie and taking such good care of him – to Angela, Dana, Sacheen, Beata, Analisa, Leanne, and the rest of the team on Spruce. We know that Ernie had a hard time with the rules of living in long-term care, and we appreciate you letting him beat to his own drum as much as you did. Know that we are eternally grateful for your love and support, especially during COVID, which meant we could not be present. Thank you for dropping by Ernie’s room following his passing to provide your condolences and to tell us so many wonderful stories about your time with him.
Ernie was the father of four (Rob (Nubia), Donna (Sam), Jo, Frank (Quyen), a very proud grandpa to Matthew, Andrew, Johnny, Adam, Nicholas, Aidan, Maggie, Olivia, and an even prouder great-grandpa to Sammy. Know how much he loved all of you and how proud he was of his family. Nothing made him happier than hearing updates, seeing pictures and videos, and reading your messages, which we constantly did. Despite COVID, we were able to keep him close to all of you. To know that he was loved in return was his greatest wish, a wish he made know the day his own father passed away, many years ago.
Our dad was a proud veteran, having served in World War II for the British Navy. He loved telling stories of being in the Navy and travelling the world. In the Navy, he learned his mechanical skills, which served him well when he landed in Canada. With these skills, he was able to talk his way into working on planes at De Havilland and a few years later was able to open his own service station in Toronto. Ernie so appreciated the support shown to Veterans in Canada, and he cherished the wonderful annual celebrations.
Our dad was also a very proud Italian, even though he was born in Glasgow, Scotland. Ernesto Sabatino Vincenzo Corsi, the son of Domenica and Orazio from a small town outside of Rome called Villa La Tina. Growing up in Scotland, our dad worked hard in our grandparent’s ice cream shop. He and his siblings, Amy and Lenny, did not have an easy upbringing, and the discrimination they faced growing up had a real impact on Ernie. Still, they made the best of it, and our dad was able to relocate to Canada following his service and bring his family to Canada once he was settled. Upon his arrival in Canada (Nova Scotia), he headed to Toronto and rented a house on Alcina Avenue. Through newfound friends, he joined an Italian club, where he later met Rosie (Chiaramonte); they married in 1955 and were together until my mom passed almost 6 years ago.
We are grateful for our time with dad, grandpa, and poppy, and we wish that COVID had not interrupted our lives in the way it has. While we cannot have a funeral service, we wanted to share the story of this wonderful man, who in the past year managed to relearn Italian and spend many hours talking to his son-in-law in his native tongue. Nothing was funnier than listening to Sam pretending to be one of dad’s favourite Neapolitan singers. Dad enjoyed every minute of their telephone banter. Until the end, Ernie continued his mechanical pursuit, and his room at Post Inn was fully equipped with surround sound. He enjoyed playing his Italian records and entertaining the staff and residents alike. As his essential caregivers, Jo and Donna managed to see dad. Jo was able to visit weekly to bring him all his favourite foods, and Donna was able to visit a couple of times and bring him treats, including vodka for his martinis and scotch for a nightcap.
Post Inn created the attached poster following an interview with Ernie on a recent birthday. This was how he saw himself, but we know that he was so much more.
Donations in Ernie’s memory may be made to the Willow Foundation (directed to Post Inn Village).
We will miss you every single day dad. With love and unending affection.
Signer le livre d’or
21 août 1926
9 mai 2021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Ernie Corsi 21 août 1926
9 mai 2021..
turner & porter funeral directors
Décès pour la Ville:Toronto, Province: Ontario