Paolo Bruno

Paolo Bruno passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, July 4th, 2020, at the age of 85. He was predeceased by his parents, Carmine Bruno and Lorita DeCicco. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Rosa (Macchione) Bruno and his four children: Rita Maragos (Steve), Mirella Bruno, Carmine Bruno (Frances), and Gino Bruno (Anna); seven grandchildren: Peter, Patricia (Chris) and Dina Maragos, Kasi (Shane) and Andrei (Julie) Bruno, and Juliana (Kristian) and Paul Bruno; his four great-grandchildren Donnell and Kamari McKenzie, Fitz Bruno Walters and Emilia Bruno; his brothers Rosario Tiano (Donna), John Tiano and Attilio Tiano (Barb); and several nieces and nephews.

He was born on June 14th, 1935 in Malito, Calabria, Italy to Carmine Bruno and Lorita DeCicco. In 1957, he married Rosa and moved to Toronto, Canada in 1958; it was there where together they raised a large family that brought Paolo tremendous pride and joy.

A lively and enthusiastic host, Paolo’s home was always open to visitors. You couldn’t visit without being forced to eat— even if you had just eaten and even if he told you were looking a little fat. Pasta, soppressata from the cantina, bottles of his homemade wine and various crackers, cookies and Pane Vittoria covered the dining room table at all hours.

Paolo had a passion for gardening, the Toronto Maple Leafs and tinkering. He spent many days building things in his garage, and his creative inventions included a homemade BBQ and bicycles for his grandchildren made of many small parts acquired at the side of the road.

Known for being strong-willed, he survived an emergency quadruple bypass in 2005, but only after agreeing to it not because his blockages were so extreme and his condition so grave he was told he wouldn’t survive without it— but as he put it, to ‘help the doctor make some money, because he has to feed his family too.’