Giuseppe Giralico passed away peacefully on May 15, 2025.

He leaves behind his devoted wife, Lisa, his children Angelo (Glee) and Loretta (Peter), his grandchildren Joey, Mark, Lauren, Sarah, Jennifer, and Marielle, and great-grandchildren Angelo Jr., Jessica, Sienna, Emmery, Charlie, Leo, Marlowe, Miles, and Quinn. Giuseppe is predeceased by his beloved grandson Jason, his sisters Maria and Irma, and his brothers Frank and Robert.

Born in Veroli, Frosinone, Italy, Giuseppe was the spirited middle child of Natalina Pagliarella and Pio Giralico. A mischievous boy with a thirst for adventure, he often led his friends in skipping school and raiding orchards. During the war, his family found refuge in Lisa’s family home in the country—planting the seeds of a lifelong love. They married in 1952, and soon after, Giuseppe immigrated to Canada, seeking a new beginning. Lisa and their young son Angelo joined him shortly thereafter.

Though he arrived not speaking English, Giuseppe’s charm and determination carried him far—famously earning his driver’s license with a bottle of wine (a trick that didn’t work when he was 80!). He was a man of many passions: spaghetti westerns, wrestling, his friends, and a good drink—often a few too many. Loud, eccentric, strong willed, temperamental, he was unapologetically himself.

A construction worker by trade, Giuseppe’s heart belonged to the countryside. He loved animals and nature, raising canaries, tending fish tanks, and even bringing home a snapping turtle. In 1971, a chance encounter led him to purchase a mushroom farm, fulfilling his dream of rural life. Though the farm brought its share of hardship and struggle, it also brought him joy—especially in the form of parrots, peacocks, deer, ducks, cows, goats, and a myna bird named Jack who greeted visitors.

In the 1980s, Giuseppe embraced evangelical Christianity. He gave up drinking and immersed himself in the Bible. He became a passionate preacher, speaking in tongues, praying for the sick, and sharing his faith with conviction. Though his faith created distance with his family and many friends, it was central to his identity. His story reminds us that while faith can be transformative, it should never divide us from those we love.
Giuseppe was an avid gardener and preacher until being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The disease softened him, revealing a gentle, playful side.

If Giuseppe could speak to us now, I think he would remind us to honor and respect and embrace every person’s unique humanity and allow and accept difference. He would likely quote the following scripture:
“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” — Ephesians 4:2-3