LOUIS DE LISA

LOUIS DE LISA April 30, 1928 - January 18, 2016 God called Louis (Luigi) peacefully on January 18, 2016 at the age of 87. He will be cherished and remembered by loving family in Canada, United States and Italy. Louis leaves behind children, Carol (Joseph), Ermilio, Cathy (Russell) and grandchildren, Jessica, Michael, Alicia, Jenna, Brianna and Karina and great-granddaughter, Harper. Visitations will take place at Nicholls Funeral Home at 330 Midland Avenue, Midland, Ontario on January 28, 2016 at 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Croix Parish, 327 Lafontaine Road West, Lafontaine, Ontario at 2 p.m. on January 29, 2016. Entombment will take place in the spring where there will be another service for family and friends in memoriam. Expressions of sympathy and donations in the memory of Louis can be made to the Alzheimer Society and Huronia Hospital Foundation online at www.lifelinecounselling.ca Louis was the second son of 11 children born in Mondragone, Italy to Ermilio and Carolina De Lisa who were farmers during an era when fighting was a natural extension of the normal male lifestyle. His siblings did not survive childbirth or childhood disease except his older brother, Michael who passed in his early forties (1922 - 1965). After Allied occupation, Louis was trained by the British military as a boxer and also enlisted in Interpol in 1947. He rose to the ranks of a prize fighter and never lost a fight as both amateur and professional boxer before landing in Toronto, where he married Sylvia Tisler (Bongers). Sylvia's mother, Ethel first introduced Louis to cottage life at Thunder Beach where he eventually settled and became the Harbour Master (government dock). He operated a small construction company prior to retiring to a winter lifestyle in Naples, Florida. Louis will be remembered as a man of many interests, job skills and innovative talents with a strong work ethic, family values and a friend to many in need. He was never short of a good story about his colourful life, beaming smile and a bottle of his homemade wine. He loved opera, small game hunting, Sunday Mass at St. Florence and the many friends he made over the years at Thunder Beach. He was proudly Canadian of Italian heritage, an endearing, protective icon and will be sadly missed by many who knew him.