Obituary for Donato Di Ciano
Donato Di Ciano (“Natuch”, “Schatzi”)
September 4, 1937- February 2, 2021
Born in Italy, Natuch grew up with a fierce love for his parents and siblings (Camillo, Rosalinda, Maria and Tony), who were beloved throughout his life and his closest friends and confidants.
Donato always said that when he moved to Switzerland, he became more Swiss than Italian. There, he fell madly in love with Klara (also “Schatzi”), who became his devoted wife and life partner. When they emigrated to Canada together, he found his true homeland and became the proudest, most grateful Canadian. He even revered the great Maple Leaf, the Canadian flag, asserting (correctly) that it can be compared to all others as more beautiful and meaningful.
Donato loved the Maple Leaf not just for all that it symbolized about Canada, but also because of his deep connection with all things that grow out of the ground. Donato’s garden was an extension of his person. He was a brilliant pruner and grafter and his garden gave him as much life as he gave it. He was the recipient of the City of Toronto Traditional Garden award in 2006. The award recognized his blooming front lawn, but his backyard was perhaps the greater treasure: an acre of organic fruit and vegetable that he tended to with all his soul.
When he wasn’t gardening, his obsessions were sequential and all-consuming: hiking, tennis, squash, golf, running and yoga. The constant was biking; he maintains that as a young man no one could bike past him in the Swiss hills and for the first year of his chemo treatments, he biked to and from treatment.
Donato was self-taught and a closet intellectual. He willed success for himself and his entire extended family. He and Klara went to extra-ordinary lengths to make sure their children had solid educations and values. In his last years of life, he finally allowed himself the satisfaction of stating out loud that he married exceptionally well and was proud of his daughters Patricia (Ron) and Sandra (Maurizio) and granddaughters, Ofelia and Lila.
Due to COVID-19 a private family funeral will be held. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to Humber River Hospital, where Donato received expert and compassionate care from Dr. Carmen Chung and the oncology team for almost 5 years. Please select “Cancer Care” from the dropdown menu at https://hrrhf.akaraisin.com/ui/giftsofgratitude/donations/start or by phone at 416.242.1000 ext. 81500.
September 4, 1937- February 2, 2021
Born in Italy, Natuch grew up with a fierce love for his parents and siblings (Camillo, Rosalinda, Maria and Tony), who were beloved throughout his life and his closest friends and confidants.
Donato always said that when he moved to Switzerland, he became more Swiss than Italian. There, he fell madly in love with Klara (also “Schatzi”), who became his devoted wife and life partner. When they emigrated to Canada together, he found his true homeland and became the proudest, most grateful Canadian. He even revered the great Maple Leaf, the Canadian flag, asserting (correctly) that it can be compared to all others as more beautiful and meaningful.
Donato loved the Maple Leaf not just for all that it symbolized about Canada, but also because of his deep connection with all things that grow out of the ground. Donato’s garden was an extension of his person. He was a brilliant pruner and grafter and his garden gave him as much life as he gave it. He was the recipient of the City of Toronto Traditional Garden award in 2006. The award recognized his blooming front lawn, but his backyard was perhaps the greater treasure: an acre of organic fruit and vegetable that he tended to with all his soul.
When he wasn’t gardening, his obsessions were sequential and all-consuming: hiking, tennis, squash, golf, running and yoga. The constant was biking; he maintains that as a young man no one could bike past him in the Swiss hills and for the first year of his chemo treatments, he biked to and from treatment.
Donato was self-taught and a closet intellectual. He willed success for himself and his entire extended family. He and Klara went to extra-ordinary lengths to make sure their children had solid educations and values. In his last years of life, he finally allowed himself the satisfaction of stating out loud that he married exceptionally well and was proud of his daughters Patricia (Ron) and Sandra (Maurizio) and granddaughters, Ofelia and Lila.
Due to COVID-19 a private family funeral will be held. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to Humber River Hospital, where Donato received expert and compassionate care from Dr. Carmen Chung and the oncology team for almost 5 years. Please select “Cancer Care” from the dropdown menu at https://hrrhf.akaraisin.com/ui/giftsofgratitude/donations/start or by phone at 416.242.1000 ext. 81500.