1936 – 2026
God went to search for an angel and found Rita Milano, the daughter of Vincenzo Falcone and Divina Pecora. She passed away peacefully in St. Joseph’s Hospital, on Tuesday June 30, 2026 at the age of 91.
Rita was a wife, mother, sister, mother-in-law, aunt, grandmother, Godmother, and a great friend to many. Our mother was a very strong and devoted, hard working, loving and caring person. She started working in her younger days helping her father in the farm and garden, taking care of the vines, vegetable plants, the fields, feeding the pigs, horses, goats, chickens, rabbits & much more. She didn’t have much time for school – spending much of her time with her parents and siblings.
Then, one day going in the village, she met the love of her life and future husband, Mr. Giorgio Milano. As time went by, they got married and years later they had their 1st child, Gaetano. Years later our father decided to go to Germany to work. By the time Gaetano was a bit older, father decided to bring his family to Germany. Our mother started working in a factory where she made umbrellas and granite while father found work in a foundry where it melted steel. Shortly after she gave birth to another son, Nino who was born in Haan, Germany.
For several years our parents travelled by train to Italy for 2 days and nights. It was a lot of fun – holidays every year. After 13 years living in Germany, our mother`s sister, Anna DeSantis, requested we move to Canada to be with her and build a new life together. Our mother started working at a few cleaning jobs and later working as a janitor for the Lakehead School Board until she retired in 1999.
Our mother enjoyed cooking for her family and having her kids with their families over every Sunday. Mom`s pride and joy was her grandson Joey. She also enjoyed watching her grandson`s puppy – feeding her and bringing her out. She would cook vegetables for her – she truly enjoyed the dog. They got along so well and we wished the puppy could talk.
Mom had other joys in her life such as her nieces Tina and Nancy, and she was also Nancy`s Godmother. She also enjoyed her time with her nephew Joseph. Our mother had 2 titles for her grandson Joey. She was a very caring mother to Joey.
Our mother will be missed deeply by her sons Gaetano (Barbara), and Nino (Marie); grandson Joey (Stephanie); great-grandchildren Abby, Ella; sister Anna (Gary). From Italy, sister Rosetta (Egidio) Fiore; sister-in-law (Carmelina) Falcone; several nieces & nephews in Italy and in Thunder Bay. Living in Thunder Bay are Joseph, Tina (Scott), Nancy (Warren), and very close friends of the family, Pina (Bruno) Papa and Rita Galle.
Our mother was predeceased by her husband and our father Giorgio Milano and her parents Vincenzo & Divina; brothers Mario ( Franca) Falcone, and Giuseppe Falcone; sister Natalina (
Silvio) Spadafora, her sister-in-law and brother-in-law from France, Gilda and Italo Fuoco and great friends Laurina Tropea and Giulietta Micelli.
Funeral services for Rita Milano, will be held on Wednesday, July 8 2026 at 11:00 am with Funeral Mass celebrated by Fr. Luigi Filippini. Visitation will be held one hour prior to service time. Entombment will follow in Our Lady of Charity Mausoleum, St. Andrew’s R.C. Cemetery. EVEREST FUNERAL CHAPEL, 299 Waverley Street at Algoma in care of arrangements. Funeral services will be livestreamed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxuaxNoHXx8 and will also be available for viewing later on the Everest website.
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