Elvira Petruccelli

Elvira Petruccelli
July 13, 1934 - June 3, 2017

Elvira Petruccelli (born Valente), beloved wife of Domenic (d. 2010) and loving mother to Elizabeth and Marc (husband to Letizia, and father to Jordana and JonMarc), passed away on June 3, 2017, following a brief illness.

Born on July 13, 1934, in Rome, Italy, Elvira was the eldest of Maria and Ugo Valente’s three children — her younger brothers were Mimmo and Gianfranco. Elvira grew up during the Second World War and spent her formative years in post-war Italy. At the age of 12, she reluctantly left school to begin training as a seamstress in order to help with the family finances during the difficult years that followed the war. Her training continued for several years, and by the age of 18 Elvira had launched a successful career that would continue throughout the better part of her life.

Elvira met the love of her life, Domenic, at the age of 20. They married in 1959, and within a few short years they had settled into their new home just outside of Rome. While there, they grew their respective careers as a dressmaker and aeronautical technician, travelled extensively, and welcomed Marc and Elizabeth into their lives. They worked hard to forge a successful life together and had only begun to enjoy the fruits of their labours when Domenic, driven by a keen desire to create new opportunities for himself and his family, decided to move to Canada. Leaving behind extended family, friends, and the life they knew, Elvira, Domenic, and their two young children moved to Toronto in 1965.

After settling his family in their “forever home” in the late 1960s, and after trying his hand at many professions, Domenic eventually created a successful sporting good manufacturing business that continues to this day under the direction of Marc. While Domenic worked to build his company and provide for his young family, Elvira concerned herself with raising the children, managing the household, and helping with the family business, all while creating a successful atelier — “La Romana Fashion” — which she ran first from a storefront location in downtown Toronto for several years, and then from a sewing room in her home for several more decades. Over the ensuing years, and in the absence of extended family, numerous cherished friendships developed, Marc and Elizabeth grew and flourished, and many successes and hardships ensued.
Despite the ups and downs that came with forging their new life in Canada — the difficulties of being so far away from the love and support of extended their families, the tragic loss of Domenic following a long and difficult battle with dementia, and the health hardships and heartbreaking family difficulties that she endured in the last few years of her life — Elvira always maintained that she never regretted leaving Italy. She was eternally grateful for the opportunities that she and Domenic were able to provide for their children, and she genuinely loved her adopted country of Canada.

Elvira was the embodiment of courage, spirit, sacrifice, honour, and above all, love.
May she rest in peace.