Dad,
It has been one month since you have left us to be with Mom.   I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood with you and Mom which I will treasure forever.  You both looked out for us always and were always there to help and give advice.   We are grateful that you were able to be here for so much of our lives as well as those of your Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren.  I can remember so many times that I visited you in the later years and the stories you came up with that would make me chuckle and I would just go along.  Things like telling me not to open the doors to strangers, that I shouldn’t go out at night after dark and the best was the story about your see Larry and the two Policia, they were detective…lol.  Life is so different without you both but it is the natural progression of life.  You are now with Mom and Larry having a Bella Tea and I am sure that you and Larry are strongly disagreeing about how to fix the car.
Chow until we meet again.

Susan xoxo


Many years after that trip to Malta while sitting and watching TV he randomly asked me about labour.  It didn’t occur to me that he never witnessed the birth of any of his children. But I will tell you ladies, he so wanted to be.  Even though I hadn’t had children of my own at the time, I did tell him what I knew and heard from friends/colleagues who have. We talked about it, Nannu expressed how he wanted to be there for the birth of his children (a regret), it was just not allowed at that time. It was also during this chat, you saw him realize just how incredible his wife was. And his love for her showed all over again. 

What he has accomplished, how he did it, his resilience (right to the end), his passion and his constant love is something I respect, admire and look up to. 

Our grandfather lived an incredibly long loved filled life. We were glad to have had so many years with him and that he got to meet his great grandchildren. My daughter Charlotte, who is named after him, loved singing and dancing for her Buznannu.. Seeing the all children laugh, sing and smile was something that made him so happy. He loved his family, was proud of us and who we all became. He touched us all differently, leaving behind parts of himself: whether it be his strength, his stubbornness, his passion or his love. All he ever wanted was everyone to be happy and know that we will be ok. After the war a young handsome strong man and his beautiful wife dreamt of raising a family in a new world, one with filled hope, hope for a better a life. Nannu you fulfilled your dream, we are all happy, safe and we are a strong connected family filled with love. You may now join the love of your life and your son and know that we will all be ok. You will forever live in our hearts! 

Inħobbok hafna Nannu

We were very fortunate to have had a long time with our grandfather. Soon after we first lost our Nunna, I moved to Europe and I decided to go visit him in Malta. It was this trip that not only reshaped our relationship, I also learned so much about my grandfather: who he was and who he is truly. He wasn’t just the porridge eating, chocolate loving grease monkey. There was a kind, very soft hearted man underneath all that show. In Malta he talked sooo much about the war, told me all about his role in WWII, he showed me where they would burry themselves in the Walls around Valletta during bomb raids. he took me his family’s old fArm, to the peak where he would go with Nunna for picnics and we went on drives around the country that he and Nunna used to like to do. I also learned he was a bit of a religious guy (that was definitely different). not only did he drag me to church early so we could do Rosary, he was in such a rush to get there we didn’t park in the right spot and got a parking ticket, which he was pissed about. But It was also in Malta that I realized just how much he LOVED and MISSED our Nunna. I kept hearing him get up during the night and going downstairs, so one night I got up to see what he was doing. Do you know what he was doing? He was having Tea and toast by my Nunna’s Photo. He told me he gets up every night to have tea and talk with Her. He tell her about his day or some stories. I truly saw a different side of him, he worshipped our grandmother and missed her dearly. He talked about how great she was, beautiful, kind and how much he missed her (who was this man?) Throughout that trip he continued to tell me stories about him and Nunna: when they were younger, dating, early life. He even talked about where and how he waited for the birth of Theresa & Larry.

Good Afternoon 

Whenever my cousins and I got together we always had a few running jokes among us, memories of the man who was the head of our family.  Or as we were convinced the head of the Maltese Mofia if there was any. How we could hear him coming down the road a mile away in his trusty chevete. Or that he was ahead of the stop-start car system, with letting the chevet roll down the hills. 

But jokes aside It’s amazing how your relationship, appreciation and admiration for your grandparents grows as you get older. If you are lucky, like we were, to have a grandparent to look up to and talk with as an adult. You will go from seeing them as someone who’s there to spoil and play with you. To an individual who will be one of the most influential people in your life.

As young children, I believe we were closer to our Nunna with her kind neutering spirit. Nunnu, was the man who we ran downstairs to get chocolate from and you knew never to call between 11-12, or you would get yelled at for interrupting the price is right. But if you were to asked us what he was really like we probably wouldn’t have been able to tell you much. 

As I got older, I got much closer to him, understood more of his life struggles and respected him for what he accomplished and who he became. Leaving the country where he was raised, the language and family behind in hopes to giving his young family a better life.  He travelled to Canada by himself where he raised enough money to send for his wife and two children. Bouncing around a few places in Ontario, he finally settled into Oshawa and made it his home. Nunnu truly appreciated the opportunities the country, city and GM had given him. For there was no better place to live than Oshawa and Canada in his eyes. 

Rest In Peace Uncle Charles. Cherishing memories of visiting with you in California, and will always be in our heart.
A special Thank You to my family for sharing this special time with us from afar. 
Sending our love to all the family.❤️🙏🏻🌹

Welcome Family and Friends
On behalf on myself, sisters and our families we like to thank you all for coming to help celebrate the life of this generous, loving person who we call dad.  He was truly fortunate to have lived a very full life, almost 95 years.  He was born in Zabbar, Malta where he was a bus driver as were most of his family.  He came to Canada in 1952 by ship across the Atlantic Ocean. When he landed in Canada it was a culture shock.  Not only was the language and land different, I think the biggest thing would have been the weather.  Coming from a small island in the Mediterranean with temperatures not going below freezing and no Snow.  My mother came roughly a year after my dad and they started their life in Oshawa.  I know he had many jobs before landing his job with General Motors which he retired from after 22.3 Years of service.  At times, we know our parents struggled to make ends meet, but for us kids’ life was the same as we never did without anything that was important.  I must say that it was much easier times when Susan and myself came along.
If you know my dad well, he had a sweet tooth and loved cars.  We can remember Sunday afternoon drives to go and get ice cream as kids.  He always had chocolate for us and for his grandkids as he got older.  Cars where a big thing for my dad, whether it was working on them for himself for helping others with theirs.  He finally bought a new car around his retirement a Chevette Diesel and that was his baby.  He talked about that car like it was a Cadillac, there was nothing else like.  He used to tell me he wouldn’t take a Cadillac if they offered to him over his Chevette.  So, I would tell him take it and give me the Cadillac.   

Sunday was a family day, we seemed to have Sunday drives somewhere.  Many trips to Newmarket to visit friends and of course a milk shake, Niagara Falls and cook a breakfast when we got there, Port perry for ice cream and Toronto to visit relatives, friends and most importantly to have our favorite Maltese snack pastizzis.  But I tell you all those pastizzis always took second place to my dad’s.  My dad made the best and I know my mom had a lot to do with that as well.  Family and friends where always welcomed into our home no matter what the occasion was.  One thing that stands out for my dad is his love of music and dance.  My parents had so many get togethers growing up with music and dance we thought our home was a dance hall. Sunday evenings where music, dancing the limbo and the twist with mom and dad. Later My parents went for many years to a dance every Saturday night and as we got older we joined them.  I guess that is why we all have the love of music and dance.  Even the last week before my dad decided to leave the staff could hear me singing and see me dancing in his room. Our last night with our dad had dancing and singing with his favorite tunes of the past. Our family last summer put on a several shows for the residents, staff and my dad at the home   We got so many compliments and thanks from the home.  As a family we did one big trip to California by car.  I have no idea how my dad did this trip being the only driver and five kids in the car with no tv, ipads or cell phones.   It is a trip we will never forget and was wonderful fun experience. Oh yes, Let’s not forget last call before dad went to work with one of his favorite tv shows I love lucy.  There was always a bet on which show it was since we had watched them so many times. 

My dad worked extremely hard as many did in those days so it was not easy for him to buy things which he figured was not a must.  We never did tell my dad the price we actually paid for something, so we would not have to hear the long story about spending money foolishly.  I am guessing my dad did this, so we had the money to spend on him when needed.  And of course, we did spend it on him.  As many of you know my dad had us and his other ladies which helped cared for him these past few years.  These wonderful ladies where there for dad when we could not be there ourselves.  The love and care they gave my dad; you would think they were family.  But one thing I must say is when any one of us needed money for something important he was always there to help us out. Dad was very generous to us and we are so thankful for all that he has done for us. My dad also always found the time, money and what else was involved to help many relatives and friends as well. 
Once my dad retired from General Motors, my parents purchased a place in Malta and went every year from November to May for almost 35 years.  They loved their winter get away and dad looked forward to it every year.  He would not admit it but he looked forward to coming back to Oshawa after his 6 months there.  His lifestyle in Malta was the same as here very plain nothing extravagant.  In the last few years when we travelled with him, he was known around the neighborhood as the man from Canada.  Everyone knew him and always had good things to say about him.  His love for Malta and Canada (Oshawa) where always known to everyone.  I know when I moved away or when someone told him they were going on a trip he would always say I never liked it there.  He had never been, but he still didn’t like it there.  
Now I do not want everyone to think that my dad was perfect.  My dad would give us a run for our money at times.  There where times that we would have a hard time reasoning with him and you would just say forget it and let him have the last say.  But I must say overall I think we probably gave him more trouble going up, so it was ok to let him have the last say.  
This past year I think was probably the hardest year for my dad and for us.  Thank goodness last November, Grace and myself were allowed back into the nursing home as his essential caregivers. Between the two of us taking turns going to visit and dad Face timing with Theresa and Susan we hope that he did not feel too alone. I think one of the most rewarding moments for us is when dad would see us and give us a great big smile, we knew that we made his day.  Dad had dementia and this past year did not talk a lot.  But no matter how long it was between visits and sometimes it could have been 6 weeks because of holidays, he never got us mixed up and we loved when he would say hi Barb, Grace, Tess, Susan.   And I think that was a feat in itself since as people at the home  quite off got us mixed up.  I know the years after my mom passed away and dad going into a nursing home required a lot more from myself and my sisters something we will never regret, as we feel he deserved everything we did for what he has done for us.  I know we cherished all the time we were able to spend with dad and I have so many memories stored in this heart of mine.  So thank you dad for all the love, support, memories and spending almost 95 years with us.   We know you are enjoying your new life dancing, singing with my mom, Larry, family, and friends.  
So dad in your words Que Sera Sera, whatever will be, will be”


Dad you were the best dad l could ask for. You always showed love & concern for your family by always being there  & making time for us when needed. I know the past  years have not been easy but you  enjoyed your time with us when we got together even when your health deteriorated. Remembering who l was till the end gave me such joy & the odd time when you actually carried a conversation & said l love you!! 
 Missing you especially  today  to be celebrating your 95th  birthday. Sending love to heaven ❤️

Dearest Dad, 
It is with sadness and happiness that I share my memory.  Sad that I know longer see your smiling face, hold your hand and have you blowing kisses during my visits with you at Fairview.  
My happiness far out ways the sad though.  You and Mom have brought our family so many memories and fun times.  I could tell a story everyday and never get tired of them or stop the laughter.  From family car trips to singing and dancing and family time doing outdoor activities and TV shows.  Also pretty lucky to be able to say I knew how to change and check the oil in my car or change a tire if needed.
Lastly I will miss your generous nature and love that you gave us unconditionally.  I know that you are being welcomed with open arms by Mom and Larry and other family and friends.
Rest In Peace knowing that You and Mom have brought me so much joy, happiness and love.  I am so proud to say that my parents have made me the person I am today.
As I think of you daily there will always be a tear and smile for you.

Happy 95th in Heaven!

My Love Forever
Grace❤️

We did not get the opportunity to see each other very much because I lived in the United States but my Uncle Carmno visited a couple of times.  He had so much energy and loved to walk.  I will always remember his smile and his love for walking.  May you now RIP.

Mr. Cassar's oldest daughter Theresa became my friend when we were both 18.  To this day we still keep in touch on a regular basis.  I spent a lot of time with her parents and siblings over the years.  Mr. and Mrs. Cassar always made me feel very welcome and I became part of their family.

It's always sad to lose a parent no matter their age.  Mr. Cassar, as he'll always be known to me, had a good long life and will be greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.

My heartfelt condolences and prayers to Theresa, Grace, Barb and Susan on the loss of your father.  May he rest in peace.

Our deepest sincere sympathy to all the family.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you especially at this delicate and sensitive time.

Karmnu as he was popularly known in Malta was granted a very nice age of almost 95 years in which he did a lot, gave a lot and achieved a lot. In particular he was a great Dad, Nannu and Buznannu.

Carmel had the grace to visit Malta several times. Malta is his birth country and he loved it so much. We admire the courage he had to travel to Malta one year after another for quite a number of years.

Rest in peace Charlie together with your dear wife and son.

Josephine, Anthony and Sheren

Great and fond memories of Carmel, a caring and loving man to all., and so funny at times, my lasting memory of him singing Que sera sera...💞

My sincere condolences to your whole family. Having working with Carmel at the Lodge, his family was very important to him. I can remember a time I was playing guitar and he’d play his drum, shaker or flute along with me.  Thinking of you all at this time and will miss your friendly faces at the home. 

Hello Cassar family and friends. My deepest condolences go out to all of you.

    I have wonderful memories of my Godfather. 

Also, I had the privilege to work for the same company he did General Motors of Canada. 
 My memory of Carmel outside of work was he always had an answer for whatever was being questioned. He enjoyed assisting and helping others whenever deemed necessary. You might say he was a mentor to someone such as myself. 
 
I always remembered the special celebration Carmal Carmana and the rest of the family as a child. Your generosity was greatly appreciated by my family and I.

Carmel  was part of a  General Motors maintenance  crew  that helped create a path for other's like myself.
  His hard work allowed others to prosper and turn GM  into the most respected company in the business.

 Carmel I will  always cherish those memories.

My parents and immediate family as well.




OBITUARY

Carmel "Charlie" Cassar

July 11, 1926 – June 19, 2021

Courtice Funeral Chapel

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