Anna Maria Pollari

With deep sorrow the family of Anna Maria Pollari (nee Di Franco), age 90 years, announce her unexpected, but peaceful passing at Southbridge Pinewood Court on Tuesday, December 22, 2020.

Anna Maria (also known as Anna and Nonna) was a woman with a kind heart. Born on October 7, 1930 to parents Salvatore and Rosa Di Franco, in the small town of Licata on the island of Sicily, Italy, Anna has both endured and enjoyed her life’s journey. As a child she shared the house with a donkey while growing up with her two older sisters Francesca and Angela, and younger brother Vitale. She used to dry tomatoes in the sun to save it for winter to thicken the sauce, and dried and salted green olives until they became a ripened black.

After living through some of the ravages of World War II, Anna was married in 1954 by proxy to Domenico Pollari, (she in Italy and Domenico in Canada). Later that year she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Canada, then by train to Port Arthur to meet Domenico. While continuing their Italian traditions, Anna and Domenico also adapted to the Canadian way. She took English lessons, tried downhill skiing but preferred cross country skiing with friends in the undeveloped spaces in Westfort.  A bowling league, camping, and preparing the small game after Domenico returned from hunting were also aspects of her new life in Canada.

She also loved bocce, both outdoors and at the indoor facility at the Da Vinci Centre.  Even though Anna had a gentle roll of the bocce ball, she sure was accurate.

While at home raising her four children, she also babysat for others.  Several of those kids and families kept in touch for decades later.

Family was the most important aspect of her life.  Birthdays and family gatherings at Nonna’s place were plenty with the seven grandchildren becoming her cherished focus.  And adoringly, they were a captive audience to teach how to say “Ciao Bella” and many other Italian and Sicilian phrases and songs.  Nonna felt blessed and eager to always have them around.  Her children and grandchildren will always fondly cherish the memories of the smell of fresh bread, and the taste of her great pizza, pasta and cookies.  

Wine making from grapes was one of the family traditions, but the more enduring annual tradition, which her children and grandchildren continue to gather as a family is to make and jar tomato sauce.  In her gentle way, she was the “sauce boss” and participated until she was no longer physically able but still connected via phone.

Gardening (both flowers and vegetables) was a long time activity of hers.  In fact, she was still using a shovel in the garden at the age of 82.  If she hadn’t been stricken with blindness, she would have been in the garden until her final days.

Over the decades, she was a member of St. Agnes and St. Dominic’s church, Catholic Women’s League and Da Vinci Centre.  She sang in the choirs and went on many excursions and picnics with them.  In addition, she, family and extended family went on countless picnics especially at Chippewa Park.

Anna was known as an “Angel on Earth”. Instead of chastising when someone did wrong, she praised when they did good. Her children’s friends were always welcome in the house or for dinner (which was always more than they could eat). She was blessed with a resilience, adaptability, inclusivity, humour, and compassion which made her easy for anyone to adore. Even after she lost her husband, child, her sight and ability to walk, she would grieve, pray, then return back to a life of joy and happiness. Prayer and connecting with others was very important to her and it proved to be paramount to her continued happiness. She had a positive attitude which inspired and gave joy to all who have had the fortune to have met her.

Anna Maria will be sadly missed by her children Sam (Denise), Frank and Teresa Veneruz and her grandchildren Alexandra, Ross, Claire, Russell, Danielle, Dominique and Thomas, and her brother Vitale as well as many nieces and nephews both in Canada and Italy.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband Domenico and son Angelo as well as her parents Rosa and Salvatore, and her sisters Angela and Francesca (aka Ciccia).

Anna's family wish to extend their heartfelt “thank you” to the staff, management, and volunteers of Pinewood Court, who treated her with care, dignity, respect and gave her a place of security, serenity, activity, and compassion.

Visitation, on Wednesday December 30, will be limited due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you wish to attend one of the visitations, please contact the family at 807-476-4596 or email frankothers@yahoo.com, however not everyone will be allowed to attend, and confirmation will be mandatory. In addition, the family is hoping to plan a memorial with more family and friends at a date to be determined later.

A private family service will be held in the WESTFORT CHAPEL, 420 West Gore Street at James. Interment will follow at Mountainview Cemetery. The family plans to have a video recording of the funeral service, which will be available on the Funeral Home website beginning the next day, on Thursday, December 31.

As directed by the Province of Ontario and the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, the attendance at each visitation is restricted to 10 people or less and a record of attendance must be maintained. Wearing of masks or face coverings by everyone and maintaining social distancing of 6 feet is mandatory for those attending.

Should friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, donations made in memory of Anna Maria to the Northern Cancer Fund or Northern Cardiac Fund (payable to TBRHSF) would be greatly appreciated.