ANGELO MANFREDI
Born April 24, 1938, in San Mango D’Aquino, Catanzaro, Italy
It is with very heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of Angelo Manfredi on December 10, 2020, at the Grace Hospital, due to complications from Covid-19.
Left to honour his memory are his wife, Concetta, his children Frank (Carol), Maria (Darren Scott) and Joe (Sandy), his grandchildren Connie (Miguel Gauthier), Angelo, Francesco, Matteo and Adriano, as well as his brother Giuseppe (Angelina) and his brother-in-law Luigi Rotella in Italy, his sister-in-law Frances in the US and many nieces, nephews and cousins. In heaven waiting to greet Angelo with loving arms are his parents, Francesco and Maria (Moraca), his sisters Elisa and Teodora and his brother Eugenio.
Angelo and Concetta’s marriage was one full of incredible memories, right from the start. His original plan to propose before leaving for the military and wed upon his return 18 months later, was strongly discouraged by Concetta’s older brother, Giuseppe. As the legend goes, Giuseppe warned Angelo that if he was expecting Concetta to wait for him as an unmarried woman and risk a possible change of heart or calling off of the engagement, Giuseppe would be forced to hunt him down and teach him a lesson. ‘An offer he couldn’t refuse’, Angelo and Concetta wed immediately and he left for the military shortly thereafter. That kind of passionate drama served as the foundation of their entire relationship for over sixty years.
Angelo and Concetta first moved to Canada from Italy in 1966, along with 3 1/2 yr old Frank and many other Italian families immigrating to a new country in the pursuit of great opportunity. However, the lure of his homeland could not be resisted. The family would pack their belongings and return to Italy twice (in the seventies and eighties) before eventually returning to Winnipeg for good in the early nineties. This final move back was the result of Angelo’s strong desire to reunite with his two older children, Frank and Maria, who had returned to Winnipeg earlier to make it their home.
In Winnipeg, Angelo worked as a machinist at Canadian Tool and Die. Though this manual labour was not easy, going to work every day meant he was able to provide for his family while simultaneously remaining connected to his Italian community. He had the good fortune of working alongside his brothers-in-law Francesco and Domenico Colosimo and many others who had recently emigrated from Italy. In his later years he often recited these times with great fondness, and it was these memories that inspired his environmentally conscious criticism of solely occupied vehicles as he never forgot when he and his friends carpooled to work together every day. Following his years as a machinist, Angelo would become self employed doing concrete work.
Angelo was a man of many hobbies, his garden being one of them. When someone would show up at the family home, complete with barbed wire chain link fence and key locked gate, he would often be found in his backyard tending to his greens or defending his chickens from neighbourhood fox. You would have to yell out to him that you had arrived and he would greet you with a wave and make his way inside about a half hour later, wearing his staple outfit of an old undershirt tucked into his navy blue dress pants.
His hobbies were not only limited to gardening and animals. He was also an avid fan of television, in particular the Italian soap opera, Un Posto al Sole on RAI. It was his devotion to this show that prompted him to invent one of the first methods of ‘commercial skipping’ ever documented, years before PVR was ever released. Through his patented dual floor, three VCR system, he accumulated entire commercial free seasons of his favourite show that ended up systematically labelled and stored in the cold room among his wine and pantry goods. As he got older he would call in a daily panic due to the TV being on the wrong input for reasons completely unbeknownst to him. Not even scotch tape limiting the options on the remote could prevent this mysterious issue from occurring. Eventually, television became a call and response joke to entertain his grandchildren – if he heard something funny on a show, he would re-enact it to make us laugh – it always worked.
Later in his life, Angelo really enjoyed running errands. He would call his grandson Angelo to pick him up and the two of them would paint the town red. These adventures could vary from doctors appointments, to trips to Superstore and Walmart for various deli meat, cheese, peanuts without salt, assorted fruit, cookies, and of course to peruse the selection of shopping carts where, if one were discovered that he especially liked, it potentially was “borrowed” and returned at a much later date. However, the most revered quest would be to the Liquor store, where the two Angelo’s could be found weekly, browsing down every aisle, before inevitably settling on the 2L bottles of Italian merlot for $14.99. We are forever thankful to Angelo (Jr) for documenting their adventures on video, many shared on Instagram for family, friends and truthfully, fans to enjoy.
Though Angelo became a quieter man as time passed, the joy he had for spending time with his family never ceased. His love for his children and grandchildren was always present and we will always treasure these memories. Our Dad and Nonno’s legacy will live on in each of us and it will always bring a smile to our faces to remember him. He will be forever missed and never forgotten.
Due to Covid restrictions, a small family funeral will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Thursday December 17. Entombment to follow at Holy Angel Mausoleum (Green Acres Cemetery).
The funeral will be streamed and may be viewed by going to m.youtube.com/watch?v=4f8PpRljqvY or by clicking the ‘Photos & Videos’ option at the top of the page, and then scroll down and select Watch Webcast.
Il padre è la radice più robusta,
i figli l’albero più promettente.
Riposa in pace, Papa.
Read Less
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Angelo Manfredi, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Angelo Manfredi Thursday December 10th 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Winnipeg, Province: Manitoba