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November 6, 1934-August 8, 2026

elevated cBAW5 Funeral Service
Friday August 14, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Chapel of St. Joseph at Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, Ontario, L3T 3Z6

elevated cBAW5 Click here to watch the Service

elevated cBAW5 Inurnment
Holy Family Mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery
8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill, Ontario, L3T 2C7

elevated cBAW5 Obituary
It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Gianfranco Pasqualini in Toronto at the age of 91. Gianfranco was born in Urbino, Italy to the late Joseph Pasqualini and Ada Pasqualini. Beloved spouse of Luigina Pelliccione for 40 wonderful years. Loving stepfather to Daiana Pelliccione and Linda Love. Cherished Nonno of Bruno, Alessandra, Moira, Marina. Beloved brother to the late ‘Dodi’ Domenico and ‘Ninni’. His passing leaves a profound emptiness in the hearts of those who loved him. May his memory be a blessing, and may he rest in eternal peace.

elevated cBAW5 Eulogy
In Loving Memory of Gianfranco Pasqualini

elevated cBAW5 It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Gianfranco Pasqualini, a devoted husband, stepfather, Nonno, and treasured member of our family.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco was born in Urbino, Italy, into an aristocratic family and was a highly educated man with a deep background in theology. Although his life began among the history and traditions of Italy, it was the family he chose and the love he gave so freely that would become one of the greatest parts of his legacy.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco had never married and had no children of his own when, in 1987, he met the woman who would become the love of his life. Our mother had tragically lost our father, and Gianfranco entered her life with extraordinary kindness, patience, and respect. He treated her with tenderness and devotion, and in loving her, he wholeheartedly embraced all of us.

elevated cBAW5 He never made us feel as though we were simply the family that came with the woman he loved. We became his family, and he became ours.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco was the only Nonno our children ever knew. He loved his grandchildren, our extended family, and all the children who grew up knowing him as Nonno. He had a way of making everyone feel special. He was forever telling the grandchildren and cousins, “Oh, you’re so beautiful.” And you always knew he meant it.

elevated cBAW5 For me personally, one of the greatest demonstrations of the place he held in my life came on my wedding day, when Gianfranco walked me down the aisle. It is a memory I will carry with me always.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco worked as a life insurance salesman, but outside of work he had an extraordinary love of movies. He adored spaghetti westerns and classic films and seemed to possess an encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood. Put on a movie from the 1930s through the 1960s and Gianfranco could name seemingly every actor who appeared on the screen.

elevated cBAW5 He also had an unintentionally wonderful sense of humor that gave our family stories we will repeat forever. During one visit, we all went to see the comedy City Slickers. As we walked out of the theater, Gianfranco turned to us and announced enthusiastically, “Great movie, that Snicker City!”

elevated cBAW5 We burst into laughter. To this day, it remains one of those simple family memories that can make us laugh even through our tears.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco loved Arizona and the American West. He enjoyed visiting the O.K. Corral, traveling to Yuma and seeing the magnificent Grand Canyon. Perhaps it was his love of westerns coming to life before his eyes, but Arizona held a special place in his heart.

elevated cBAW5 He was also unmistakably Gianfranco wherever he went. He dressed beautifully, carried himself with elegance, and always smelled amazing from the cologne he loved to wear. Those little things—the way he dressed, his familiar scent, his voice, his expressions—are among the things we will unexpectedly find ourselves missing most.

elevated cBAW5 Christmas brought another favorite Gianfranco tradition: playing Tombola with the family. Those games, the laughter around the table and the traditions we shared are now precious memories.

elevated cBAW5 His gentleness extended beyond our immediate family. He helped our mother care for our grandmother, Maria, whom he affectionately and respectfully called “Signora Maria.” He loved his cats dearly and had a genuine affection for animals of every kind.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco came into our lives after a time of tremendous loss. He could never replace the father we had lost, nor did he ever try. Instead, he created a place of his own in our family through nearly four decades of love, loyalty, kindness and presence.

elevated cBAW5 He chose to be a husband.

elevated cBAW5 He chose to be a father.

elevated cBAW5 He chose to be a Nonno.

elevated cBAW5 And we chose him right back.

elevated cBAW5 We will remember the impeccably dressed Italian gentleman who smelled of wonderful cologne; the theologian and lifelong student; the movie expert who could name actors from generations before us; the man who loved westerns, Arizona, Tombola, cats and Christmas; the man who called our grandmother Signora Maria; and the Nonno who never tired of telling the children how beautiful they were.

elevated cBAW5 Most of all, we will remember a kind and gentle man who loved our mother with dignity and respect and embraced her family completely as his own.

elevated cBAW5 Gianfranco, thank you for loving our mother. Thank you for loving all of us. Thank you for being the Nonno our children needed and for walking beside our family for all these years.

elevated cBAW5 There will forever be an empty place at our table and in our hearts, but there will also forever be stories that make us smile.

elevated cBAW5 And whenever we hear someone mention City Slickers, we will undoubtedly think of Gianfranco and smile as we remember:

elevated cBAW5 “Great movie, that Snicker City.”

elevated cBAW5 Rest peacefully, Gianfranco.

elevated cBAW5 You were deeply loved, and you will never be forgotten.

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