The family of Vince Pedri is deeply saddened to announce his passing on Wednesday Nov. 3, 2010 at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. He was 64 years young.
Vince was born on Oct. 14, 1946 in Revo, Italy to parents Celeste and Elena Pedri. At age 11 Vince travelled from Italy along with his mother and six siblings to join his father in Thunder Bay, Ontario—the place he called home his entire life, met and fell in love with wife Stella (Rzepczynski) and raised his four beautiful children: Lisa, Steven, Chris, and Leanne.
Vince was a devoted, loving father, and took pride in his ability to provide for his family. He worked 34 years for Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, and after retirement, he spent eight years as the operations supervisor at the Hudson Bay Port Company in Churchill, Man.
Throughout his career in the grain industry, he led by example and never turned away from any challenge. In Churchill, Vince excelled in his leadership role and was respected and recognized for his work ethic, knowledge and years of experience. This time up north provided Vince with many exciting opportunities—from leading tours with various political dignitaries to playing an extra in the film Snow Walker and spending many hours just appreciating the wildlife, especially the polar bears.
In his early years, Vince enjoyed being with family and friends playing cards, bowling, ice fishing, and partridge hunting. Later in life, Vince, along with the "rat pack"(Brent, Dennis, and the rest of crew), fell into the weekly Friday night routine of playing pool and listening to Elvis, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and other oldies in the 50s style pool room (a.k.a. Vince’s garage), followed by an evening down at the Polish Legion, where he was a member for 14 years.
Vince is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Stella (Rzepczynski); children Lisa (Greg), Steven (Le-Ann), Chris, and Leanne; grandchildren Nicholas and Victoria (his pride and joy); mother Elena; siblings John (Dagmar), Maria Louisa (Dr. Jaro Kotalik), Candido (Marcia), Attilio (Joyce), and, Augusto (Helen); sister-in-law Barbara (Ashley Maxwell); brothers-in-law Benny (Cindy), and Stanley (Jane); and numerous nieces and nephews, and aunts and uncles.
He is predeceased by his father Celeste (1975); brother Tony (2010); nephew Joseph (2005); father-in-law Stefan (1966); and mother-in-law Natalia (2002).
Funeral Services for the late Mr. Vincent Pedri will be held on Monday, Nov. 8, 2010 with friends gathering at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church for the Funeral Mass at 11 a.m. celebrated by Fr. Maurizio Maifredi. Interment will follow in St. Andrew's Catholic Cemetery. Everest Funeral Chapel, 299 Waverley Street at Algoma in care of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Churchill Northern Study Centre—Long-term Polar Bear Project or St. Margaret’s R.C. Church.
His family and friends will always remember Vince as the one who never hesitated to help—a man who always defended the underdog, and a man who loved his family more than anything.
Please sign the online condolences at everestofthunderbay.com
