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St.Pat Donations on behalf of Michele Saracino

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In loving memory of Michele Saracino. November 4th, 1941 – April 24th, 2020.

If you were to have met Michele Saracino, even for a few moments, you would know that he was a loving man, that he laughed loudly and easily, and he was devoted to hard work, music, the church, family, and his Italian culture and heritage.

He was born in San Martino in Pensilis, provincia di Campobasso, in Molise, and spoke often and fondly of his childhood home. He loved animals, and told many stories of the horses he rode, and the pets he tended to on the family farm. This love for animals carried throughout his life. When his children were still young, they might be met with a box of baby ducks, or a turtle, or a wayward dog that Michele had chanced upon, and rescued and brought home to care for. Michele was a man of simple actions this way – he saw an animal in need, and acted on caring for that need. He approached his family in a similar way, and was always there to lend a hand.

His childhood in Italy had been based in hard work, and he transformed this work ethic into a small construction business after immigrating to Canada. It was humble, and genuine, and his way of trying to care for his wife and children. He was never adverse to hard work, and always noble in his dealings. Business contracts were often replaced by handshake agreements, because he took people at their word, and believed in their honesty. In this regard, he was a humble man, who practiced his honesty, generously gave to others, and did so with his whole heart, not considering any cost to himself.

He was a man about town in many ways, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who didn't have something kind to say about him, and his generosity and thoughtfulness. He literally knew everyone, and treated all equally, regardless, of race or class. He seemingly never forgot what it was like to grow up with not much at all, and always had time for any stranger in need.

His humble and noble nature shone often in his contributions to the Italian community. He participated in many fundraising events, particularly in support of St. Anthony’s Church, and raised thousands of dollars for them. Michele was part of the Italian Businessmen’s Association, and diligently invested in creating opportunities to celebrate Italian life, culture, and heritage. He had a great mind for numbers, and his personable and gregarious nature assured that the events he supported would be a success. Many business owners and employees will certainly remember his dedication to keeping the community connected and engaged.

Beyond his work life, Michele Saracino loved to sing. He absolutely adored music. His home constantly was filled with the voices of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, The Beatles, and Massimo Ranieri, among many others. His booming tenor voice and intrinsic talent easily matching the skill and range of the singers he admired and loved. It was his dream to be a singer.  And through he had to put that dream aside for the sake of his family, his love of singing never stopped, and he performed at any opportunity given to him.   He was well known and admired throughout the Italian community for singing at festivals, weddings, talent shows, and a myriad other events. He put his heart and soul into those songs, and it was his way of expressing something of the man he truly was, and sharing it with the world. He loved to connect with people, and his deepest connection, and greatest offering was through music. He loved to perform, and he did so with a volume and ferocity that showed how profoundly he loved it. Whether singing around the house, or with the church choir, his voice could fill a room.

Michele Saracino loved his family. Though he was often shy at expressing his love, overcome by the amount of love he felt, his reddened cheeks and boyish attitude were signs that marked his deep emotion. He was a complex man emotionally, and could be equally serious and funny, but always in full measure. He lived very little in the grey areas of life, instead his heart and devotion flew full tilt to defend, support, and protect those he loved and to express his emotion in full vigour. He faced many obstacles in his life, but never lost the largess and enormity of his love for family. And despite suffering a massive fall in 2001 resulting in a traumatic brain injury and broken spine, he always kept family first. 

Though his medical condition had become complicated through the years, and though his health progressively degenerated, he remained the man who loved music, the church, family, and his Italian heritage. He laughed loud and generously when cognition allowed him to glimpse at his family through the challenges of his illnesses. He wept, when his heart swelled with love.  Michele Saracino was a strong man, and had much to share with the world. He did so, with his heart on his sleeve and without apology. He was who he was, honest, humble, generous, loving. After this long-standing battle with substantial physical and medical challenges, he beat most of the odds for years, surviving until finally, his injuries, and the complications arising from them, brought him to rest.

In recognition of the compassionate care that Michele received over the last 3 years, donations to St Patrick’s Home - in trust for Michele Saracino, can be made in the following manner and would be greatly appreciated:

 
Cheques can be made payable to St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa. The memo line at bottom of cheque should clearly state Michele Saracino.  Cheques should be mailed to St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa, 2865 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1V 8N5 Attention: Finance Office.


On line donations can be made as follows: TBC

Michele Saracino leaves behind his wife, Laura Saracino, his son Luigi Saracino, and his daughter, Rosanna Saracino.

Michele will be sadly missed by his sister Angela Maiorino (late Pasquale Maiorino) and brothers John Saracino (& Odile Saracino) and Leo Saracino (& Maria Saracino) along with his six nieces and nephews and seventeen great nieces and nephews.

We thank you, and are grateful to you, for being a part of Michele Saracino’s life, and ask that you join us in celebrating him. Raise your glass, lift your eyes above, join us in a song, and a final goodbye. Dad, we love you and thank you. May you rest in peace now and ever more.

Family and friends are invited to join by way of livestreaming, by following the link http://distantlink.com/dlm25.html and entering password Arbor2020.

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Co-organizers (2)

Luigi Saracino
Organizer
Ottawa, ON
Rosanna Saracino
Co-organizer

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