With deep sadness, we announce that our stalwart club member, Joe Valeriote, passed away on January 3, 2024 in his 98th year. Joe was a Rotarian for over 56 amazing years (since 1967) and was still attending weekly club meetings until last month, capably driving his Tesla on the road and his walker off the road. Read more details about his remarkable life below.
ROTARY REWIND PRESENTATION ON JUNE 15, 2018At our weekly Rotary Club meeting, Tom Funk interviewed our longest serving member Joe Valeriote who joined the Rotary Club of Guelph in 1967 with Cas Ryan as his proposer.
In 1909, Joe’s father came to Canada from Italy and worked for a few years to build up some money. In 1917 he went back to Italy to find a wife. However, his Dad was deemed a draft dodger and jailed because of the war still raging in Europe. When he was released he came back to Canada to start again. The next time he went back was in 1924 when he did find the wife he was looking for and brought her home to a house on Alice Street in The Ward of downtown Guelph. In grand style, about a year later they had a son, Joseph Paul Valeriote. Over the years the family grew to 10 children, with 5 miscarriages and one child who died very young. That's just how things were in the Dirty 30's.
Although he was raised during the depression and times were hard, Joe never thought about that while he attended Sacred Heart School with his friends and family always nearby. As the years went on his goals were to get some education, learn a trade and raise a family. Along the way he learned to work in the rubber industry and after a few years he struck out on his own by opening a small shop named SilcoFab, making custom designed rubber products. The shop prospered, and he re-located it to 335 Woodlawn Rd. some years later.
In the 1960’s an interesting thing was happening. It was the time of Peace and Love and the beginning of space exploration, both inner and outer for those who remember it. Astronauts were being sent up in Mercury capsules and the Geminis were being designed. One of the problems was that when the capsules landed back on earth they tended to be in the ocean and there were antennae sticking out of the capsules which would let in water and sink the vehicle before the rescuers could reach the astronauts. They needed a solution which would withstand the heat of re-entry and extend from 3 inches to 5 feet long to protect the antenna and seal it from damage or leakage. Finding that solution was assigned to a company in Downsview, Ontario called De Havilland Aircraft Canada. Amongst others, they asked Silcofab to try to design the article needed. After much long research, Joe’s company came up with a rubber boot which looks something like a slinky toy that could expand and retract as needed. They got the contract. Joe showed us a sample of his prized invention.
While a member of Rotary, Joe served as President in 1984-85 and his favourite project was the formation of our club’s Charitable Foundation which is modelled on Rotary International’s Foundation with Past Presidents of the club serving as the Board of Directors and ensuring the club can fund our many local, national and international projects.
Joe also remembered fondly the Prima Fest held by the club for many years in the 1990s. Pizza, wine and sausage – what’s wrong with that?
Clubs around the world began a campaign in 1985 called Polio 2005 which meant to eradicate Polio everywhere in the world. The original amount to be raised was $60 million US worldwide. What happened is that $120 million US was raised through that initial campaign. Today in 2018, the emphasis is on Polio Plus which has largely wiped out diphtheria, pertussis, whooping cough and typhoid along with Polio. Many people died from these diseases or were left crippled with severe side effects for centuries and now they are largely gone.
Along the way there were many district conferences and affairs to be attended and nine Paul Harris Fellowships for Joe to earn.
One other memorable achievement for Joe was that at the ripe young age of 80, he managed to complete one life-long goal – a hole-in-one on #9 at the Cutten Club. Golf was always his favourite sport.
This was a memorable rewind for all members to hear Joe’s story again. As always, we are humbled to have such wonderful people share lunch with us every week and help us to be able to provide Service Above Self for everyone.
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Attached is a link to Joe's Obituary and the details for his viewing (January 8th, 7-9 PM) and his funeral (January 9th, 10:30 AM).