Obituary of Raffaela Papararo

March 29, 1937 – Contrada, Italy

June 21, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

Raffaela “Lina” Papararo, born an Urciuoli in the rural town of Contrada, Italy. The second oldest of 8 children, she loved her siblings and always spoke with grand nostalgia about her youth. She moved to England in her early twenties where she met and married Antonio Papararo in 1962. They had a long marriage of 60 years, having 3 children Ivana, Jenifer, and Gerry. The family moved to Canada in the early 70s to be near Lina’s sister Antoinette, with whom she spoke daily until her last day, and her brother Guido whom she admired.

Lina was quick to laugh, making friends with ease. She had a sharp sense of humour and a love for games. She was an accomplished chef working in some of Calgary’s finest Italian restaurants. She worked hard, too hard, but never lost her generous nature. Always welcoming with long embraces, she built strong ties with people. She felt at home surrounded by family. She cherished her children and their spouses Tina, Jim, and Daniel. She truly adored her grandson Erik and enjoyed the company of her step-granddaughters, Jennifer, and Kristin, with her daughter Harriet. She loved her attentive niece Adele and nephew Carmen and appreciated the kindness of her nieces Sera and Andrea. Beyond her immediate family, she developed special relationships with so many - far too many to name, but she felt special bonds with her nieces Adele and Maria Teresa, and her grandniece Anna.

She joins her husband Tony, parents Serafina and Andrea; brother’s, Gerardo, and Giovanni; sister Maria Victoria, her Zizi Maria Rosa, and her nephew Marc. She is survived by her children, who miss her already; her siblings, MicheLina, Antonietta, Guido and his wife Anna, Sabatino and his wife Rina, Nino and his wife Louisa, and sister-in-law Carmella. She will be missed by her extended Urciuoli family of nieces and nephews Adele, Keith, Carmen, Sera, Scott, and Andrea in Canada, and Andrea, Anna, Luca, Simone, Claudio, Maria, Janet, Antoinette, and Anna Maria in Italy and England. As well as missed by her close ties to the Papararo family through Edvige, Fausto, Maria Teresa, Nicola, Milena and Giovanni in Italy, and Maria, Vincenzo, Aldo, Giuseppe, Davide, Richard, and Geoffrey in England.

Lina’s memory will be bright in the minds of those who encountered her warmth. 

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church (321 – 90th Avenue S.E., Calgary, AB) on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. Graveside Service to follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In lieu of flowers we ask for donations to be gifted to Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation in acknowledgment of Raffeala Papararo.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, 28 Oki Drive NW, Calgary, AB  T3B 6A8, Telephone: (403) 955.8818. https://www.childrenshospital.ab.ca/ways-to-help/donate

In living memory of Raffaela Papararo, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.