Mrs Daphne Caruso age 97 years, a resident of Thunder Bay, passed away in the TCU Unit at the Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital, on Wednesday, May 3, 2017.
Born in Brighton England on April 14th 1920, she was a daughter of Harry Lamb and Irene Cowler. Daphne was married to George Lavoie and they had a son Michael.
George was killed during World War II in Italy. Daphne brought Michael to Canada to meet the Lavoie family and while she was here met her 2nd husband to be, John Dominic Caruso, who had just returned from Hong Kong where he had been a POW for four years.
They were married in June of 1946 and together they had 3 boys Raymond, Wayne and David. Daphne loved Canada and embraced her new home and family raising the boys in Westfort on Gore and Christina Streets.
She was a devout Catholic encouraging all of her sons to attend church every Sunday. She herself walked every week even on the coldest days.
Raising a large family in struggling times was not easy but somehow Daphne made sure her family did not go without food and good clothes.
Not only did she raise four boys but cared for her husband who was struggling with PTSD from his years as a POW.
After the boys had grown up Daphne decided she wanted to work to bring in more income for her family. She started work at her favourite store Chapples. The years she spent there were some of her happiest. She made many friends at work and together they did many things socially.
After Dominic’s passing, she used those special friends to help her through the tough times. Every one of them was there for her when she needed them.
Daphne loved her family, especially her nine grandchildren and always had many pictures of them all around her home and in her purse.
Holiday dinners were very important and if you missed one you would certainly hear about it the next day. Daphne was very proud of her British heritage, but always put Canada first. She never missed a Remembrance Day Service, even when she was older she watched them on TV.
She was predeceased by her 1st husband George Lavoie December 20 1944, her mother and father Irene and Harry Lamb, her 2nd husband Dominic April 15 1980, son Michael Lavoie January 1996, daughter-in-law Rhia Adduono in August of 2016, and by many sisters and brothers-in-law. Daphne is survived by her son Raymond, Wayne (Anne) David (Nancy), daughter-in-law Sandra Lavoie, brother Toni, grandchildren, Michael and David Lavoie, Donald (Tammy) Raymond (Carolyn), Ryan (Erin) Caruso, Maralee (Jason) Jory (Michelle) Caruso, Rylee (Tommy) Caruso and Tyler (Andrea) Caruso, numerous great grandchildren and by her very good friends Daele, Alvena and Francine.
