Eliot Carlo

On September 29th 2010, Eliot Joseph Carlo (ne Ellio Tagliabracci) apprehended
mortality, having defied the reaper many times in recent years. While most
people do less in old age, Al remained active. He was the kind of man,
who at the age of 84 went into business with his daughter while still showing
up at his own electronics business every day. He was the kind of man,
even at the age of 87, in the throes of recovery from his own surgeries and
the death of his beloved wife, Irene, noticed a leak in the roof and determined
to climb a ladder to repair the damage himself, oblivious to the danger and
his weakened state.
Born Sept 8, 1919, in Port Colborne, Ontario, to immigrant parents from
Fano, Italy, who moved to Guelph when he was very young, he grew up
the eldest son of 8 children. When his father died in July 1931, leaving an
older sister, the late Stella Matthews (nee Carlo), and 6 more children who
were younger than him, he very soon took up the responsibility of providing
for the family, leaving school and working for 15 cents an hour at the stove
company. He taught himself electronics by reading books and this was to
become his future, even performing electronic repair duties while in the
army during WW2. And, yes he was drafted even though he was responsible
for providing for all of the other children and by serving, had to take a cut
in pay by half, every penny of which went back home to his mother. At 26,
handsome, prosperous, a bit of a scoundrel and sought after by women,
he met the beautiful Irene Robson and was immediately smitten. Their relationship
reminiscent of a romance novel. They married simply in 1949 and bore 4
daughters, who miss him terribly.
Determined to pursue an entrepreneurial life, Al opened Carlo's TV and
Appliances in Guelph, while still in his twenties. With ensuing success, he
was able to purchase a television tube manufacturing company in Toronto
in the early 1960's, and built it into Tri-View Electronics and Cathray Television
Trade Supply, which he ran until he was 85 years old. He loved opera (favourite
songs were Ava Maria and Nessun Dorma) and golf, a late starter in his
forties who remained frustrated by the game for many years and eventually
gave up in his eighties.
For those who knew him, Al was caring, unpretentious, a man of extraordinary
character, well spoken, with great spirit, great energy, and a great acumen
and he remained a dashing figure till the end. He could fix anything, cook
up a mean batch of tagliolini, be tough as nails, soft as butter and classier
than 007. Those he loved, he loved and appreciated with his whole heart
and he gave whatever they needed. To his family, he was a hero, whose
memory will surface with every bowl of pasta with meat sauce, broken
toaster and new venture we embark upon. Some people just shouldn't be
allowed to die, but we are fortunate that we were able to have filled up our
lives with his as long as we did. His force will be missed by his daughters
and their spouses, children and grandchildren, Debbie Pontes (Bob, Krista,
Brittany, Alex, Claudia), Pamela Keywan (Cortney, Howard), Virginia Carlo-
Armstrong (John, Jacyn, Mady) and Valerie Carlo (Shelley), and a host of
other individuals, whose lives he touched.
Family and Friends may be received at the Ward Funeral Home (52 Main
Street South, Brampton) for visitation on Saturday October 2nd, 2010 at
11 am- 1 pm. Followed immediately by a funeral service held at Ward Funeral
Home. Interment to follow at Meadowvale Cemetery. A Book of Memories
may be signed at www.wardfuneralhome.com