ANTONIO BASSO

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ANTONIO BASSO It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of our much beloved "Uncle Toni", Antonio Basso. He was born in Vedelago, Italy on September 25, 1929, and passed away peacefully in his sleep early in the morning of April 17, 2013. He came to Canada in the early 1950s to become a miner, and ended up in Kirkland Lake, Ontario where he worked in the gold mine. In 1956 he became a proud new citizen of Canada. While working at the mine, he met Alfio Corvino and his wife Franca who would become his lifelong friends and members of his extended family. When his best friend Alfio passed away in 1972, he and Franca became companions and friends, and took care of one another for the next 40 years as people of their generation did. Though he never had any children of his own, Toni accrued many adopted ones throughout his life -- all of whom called him "uncle" but couldn't tell you what the actual relationship was. We only knew he was ours, and that we loved him very much. He was a man of few words; yet the words he used spoke volumes. They made it clear that he cared about the world and about his family. He loved to garden, and if you needed a yard of grass grown, he was the man for the job. He had endless patience for it. When he was 82, he and Franca decided to pack up their home in Kirkland Lake and move to Winnipeg to be closer to family. It is here that he was predeceased by her in 2012. Toni was also preceded in death by his parents, Fortunato and Santa Basso; some siblings in Italy, and by his sister Ada who lived in Thunder Bay. He will be missed by his remaining family in Vedelago. He is survived by his nephew Gino and his wife Barbara, and will be remembered by his adopted sons, Valentino and Eddy Corvino; their wives, Shelley and Marcela; and a multitude of adopted grandchildren: Christine (Todd), Ricardo (Alyson), Tony, Anna (Brian), Danial, Alfio (Julia), Cavan (Ashley), Aaron (Cara), Jennie (George), and Patrick. He lived a long life filled with friendship, arguments, and love; that is all any of us can wish for. He will be deeply missed and always thought of fondly. On a special note, the family would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Charlotte LaFleche for her compassionate care of Uncle Toni in the last few months of his life. We know what deep affection he felt for you, and that you treated him as you would a member of your own family -- thank you. We would also like to thank you for the many ways that you helped to support our family through these last few months. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Glen Lawn Funeral Home, 455 Lagimodiere Blvd. A private interment will take place at a later date at Kirkland Lake, Ontario. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested for cancer research. Family and friends may sign a Book of Condolence at www.glenlawn.ca Glen Lawn Funeral Home 204-982-7550

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 19, 2013