elevated SlUHi September 6, 1935 – April 26, 2024

elevated SlUHi Visitation
Friday May 3, 2024 from 2pm to 4pm & 6pm to 8pm

elevated SlUHi Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, ON, L3T 3Z6

elevated SlUHi Funeral Mass – Chapel of St. Joseph (within the Funeral Home)
Saturday May 4, 2024 at 10:30am

elevated SlUHi To watch the Mass live, Click Here

elevated SlUHi Entombment
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill, ON, L3T 2C7

elevated SlUHi Reception (Hall #3) (within the Funeral Home)
Following the Entombment

It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we announce the passing of our dearest Giuseppe Lagana on April 26, 2024, surrounded by his family. 

Giuseppe was a beloved husband to Giuseppina for 56 years, loving father to Carmelo (Josie), and Mauro (Ingrid), cherished Nonno to Marcus, Monica and Liam, brother to Rocco and Caterina, and pre-deceased by brothers Giovanni and Domenico.

Giuseppe adored his family above all else. They shared much joy and laughter for many years together as Giuseppe worked tirelessly to be a great provider for them, starting with little more than a suitcase when he arrived in Canada from France via Calabria Italy in the 1960s, like so many immigrants who came before him. 

With no siblings in Canada, Giuseppe also came to cherish Giuseppina’s many extended family members (Elena, Fausto and Fausto’s extended family) in his adopted homeland and quickly learned and used Giuseppina’s Abruzzi dialect with great skill over the more familiar Calabrese of his hometown.

With little opportunity for a formal education, Giuseppe built a successful life by mastering many construction trades and adding English to the French and Italian languages he was already able to fluently speak.

As the years passed, Giuseppe was called upon to be a caregiver to Giuseppina when she developed Alzheimer’s/Dementia at an all too early age. For too many years, Giuseppe did his best to cope with Giuseppina’s deteriorating health, both while she lived at home and after she was placed in a nursing home when the responsibility became too much to manage. It is during these years where the full extent of Giuseppe’s love, devotion and strength of character became most apparent, as he tended to Giuseppina’s every need and visited her virtually every day at the nursing home for over six years, making sure that she was treated with the dignity and respect she deserved.

Giuseppe adored being a Nonno to his three grandchildren. His heart filled with joy watching them grow up, whether it was celebrating birthdays, watching them take their first steps, scoring a goal, dancing on a stage, or meeting their first love. 

He was also fearless in every sense of the word and cared deeply about justice and would stand up for himself and others when called for, no matter the consequence. Giuseppe also loved to dance and laugh, with an amazingly sharp sense of humor and a great appreciation for the lighter side of life.   

Giuseppe was deeply loved by his family and friends and will be truly missed. He will forever be remembered for his kindness, generosity, strength of character and his devotion to those he loved.

Donations in memory of Giuseppe may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.