Violet Minfie Oral History | Italian Families (01:07)

Maria Marasco was her maiden name but her married name was Amantea. She was born in San Giovanni di Fiore, that’s where my Mother was born. My Father was born in Grimaldi but my mother was born in San Giovanni in 1889. She came to this country in about 1903 and I guess she was married in about 1904 in Fernie. She met my dad, he was staying with my Mother’s sister, that’s how my mother met him. He was about 12 – 15 years older than my Mom. In those days you married young because it was another mouth you didn’t have to feed.

But you know, my Mother was very happy to marry my Dad.

He was from Grimaldi. He came to Canada in 1897, at least. He was born 1877, so he even might have been here before that. They came right here from Nordegg.  You know at one time there was a mine there. So between Nordegg and Fernie that’s where they worked but mostly here. Morrissey, worked in the Morrissey mine. I remember him saying that.