Gemma Orsola Bittante

Gemma was born on September 2, 1938 in Coste di Maser, Treviso, Italy and was the eldest of four children born to Giovanni and Cirilla Martinazzo.

Left to mourn her memory are her daughters, Annamaria, Rita, and Linda; her brother Matteo (Silvana) Martinazzo; and her sister Ivana (Umberto) Polloni. Also mourning Gemma’s loss are sisters-in-law: Elsa, Luisa, Rina and Lucia; brother-in-law Armando; and other relatives too numerous to mention.

She is predeceased by her beloved husband, Arturo; her parents; her sister, Santina; brothers-in-laws: Bruno, Rino, Luigi, Iseo, Mario and Pietro; sister-in-law, Angelina; and numerous relatives in Italy and Canada.

Gemma and Arturo were from the same town, and they started dating. He immigrated to Canada in 1960. After several years of exchanging letters Arturo sent her money for an engagement ring. In true Gemma fashion, knowing only Italian, she hopped on her first plane alone and landed in French-speaking Montreal and missed her connection. She promptly made friends with a cleaning lady who helped her to continue her journey west. This was all done while wearing high heels. Gemma and Arturo were married on October 17, 1964. They were happily married for 35 years until Arturo’s untimely death in 1999. They worked together to create a wonderful home for their girls filled with an abundance of faith, family, and food. Throughout their married life, Gemma and Arturo also made it a priority to return to Italy several times to ensure their daughters had a strong bond with all their family.

Anyone who has visited their home could see that a passion of Gemma’s was gardening, and she won the Beautify Kamloops award three times. She was the first woman in Kamloops to win for her vegetable garden and won twice for her flower garden.

Her greatest delight, however, was hosting family and friends in her home. While she didn’t have any grandchildren of her own, she was an honourary nonna, mother, sister, and daughter to many.

Gemma lived a faith-based life and served on various OLPH Church and School committees. She spent countless hours chauffeuring older parishioners to and from Mass, and organizing parish get togethers. Her fundraising efforts included spearheading lobster dinners and spaghetti and chicken dinners. Ticket sales, when it was known Gemma was cooking, always went well with many participants bringing their own containers in the hopes that they could purchase some take out. She took pride in running the baking table at the Annual CWL Bazaar along side her loyal friends of the League.

In recent years, Gemma treated the OLPH School children to an annual pasta lunch; seeing the enjoyment of the children as they devoured plate after plate of her pasta put a huge smile on her face. Her other volunteer efforts are too numerous to mention. She could do it all.

In 2022, in acknowledgement of a lifetime of volunteer work, she received the Queen’s Jubilee Pin. In 2023, she proudly received her 70-year service pin as a member of the Catholic Women’s League.

Her presence will forever be missed.

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the BC Ambulance Service and all the staff at Royal Inland Hospital and Kelowna General Hospital. We are thankful for their heroic efforts to save her and their focus on making her last hours as comfortable and peaceful as possible. Their care and compassion towards Gemma and her family were unparallelled and so greatly appreciated. They cannot be thanked enough.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation in Gemma’s memory to:

Our Lady of Perpetual Help School235 Popular St Kamloops V2B 4B9

Royal Inland Hospital Foundation311 Columbia St Kamloops V2C 2T1

Or if you prefer, in the spirit of service, perform an act of kindness.

Prayers will be recited on Monday, March 11, 2024 at 7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 11:00 am. Both will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Following the service, Gemma will be laid to rest at Hillside Cemetery.