PATRICK DITTARO

Pat loved growing up in Fort Frances, a beautiful town in Northwestern Ontario on the water. As a youngster, he had many friends in the South End. He talked about their shenanigans, swimming at the river, and how much they loved to play hockey. That became a passion for him. He was part of many winning minor hockey teams, and was a goal-scoring, feisty hockey player for the Fort Frances High School Muskies – one of the fan favourites. I’ve been told that Pat, Greg Madill and Rick McKelvie were the line to watch. Greg says he and Pat were called the “scooter line” for their speed. The two of them played together even in the Beer League, as part of the White Pine Bombers. Pat spoke so highly of his coaches. He loved Doug McCaig, Herman Guimonod, my brother, Harvey Shute and so many others. Little did they know the impact they would have not just on his hockey career but on his future. At eighteen, he moved to Quesnel, B.C., to play hockey with the Kangaroos and worked midnights at a sawmill. That’s dedication. Advice from an acquaintance in Fort helped him decide to pursue instrumentation at NAIT in Edmonton. Of course, he played college hockey there as well (the Ookpiks), with a great group of guys. He wasn’t a big guy, but never backed away from a scrap, physical or otherwise, even as he aged. I have stories.

It was just before Pat graduated from NAIT that I met him. He was home for his cousin Don Lovisa’s wedding in 1978 and happened to stop by the Red Dog where I was with my nephew, Mike Shute. One thing led to another, and shortly thereafter, we were both in Edmonton with Pat finishing school and beginning his career with Fisher Controls, and me working as an RN at the Royal Alex. We returned to Fort Frances for work and, after a few ups and downs and all arounds, we were married December 23, 1983, on the coldest day of the year. Our small wedding reception was at my nephew Mike and his wife Shelley’s home.

Just prior to our marriage, Pat purchased his parent’s cabin on Club 21 Road on Hopkins Bay Road (his folks wanted to buy a bigger place that we had found so it worked out well). We had a large addition added with the help of Jim McKinnon and Jim Rose. That was our home for over twenty-eight years. Our kids, Pat and I always loved to talk about it, and the awesome memories with our special neighbours.

In 1984, our beautiful daughter, Jade Marie, was born, and in 1987, we were blessed with our son, Cody Niklaus. Our family became complete, and from then on, we made a promise to one another to always prioritize our children. We had such a blast raising them. Summers were on the lake swimming, tubing, boating, with a few trips thrown in, and sleepovers with Pat always right in there with the kids and their friends. He may have had the most fun out of all of them. Winters were skating on the backyard rink, getting pulled on the old wooden toboggan behind the four-wheeler, on the snowmobiles, and then hockey for Cody and dance, piano and swimming for Jade. Both kids went off to London, Ontario, and then Thunder Bay for school. Pat was so proud of our kids, their strength, independence, and accomplishments. Pat was excited to have the opportunity to work with Cody in Alberta for a period, and to see him flourish as a respected leader within his profession. He also had the chance to work with Jade when she was a summer student at the pulp and paper mill, which was fun, but he was happier to be cheering her on in her medical training and career. Such a wonderful father for them. Always their biggest cheerleader and mine too.

Pat was an employee of the local pulp and paper mill for over 30 years, officially retiring in 2012. He worked in the instrumentation department for most of his career, earning the respect of his coworkers and management. He transferred to the garage, after restructuring in the mill, completing a heavy-duty mechanic apprenticeship at the age of forty-two.

Before Pat and I were married, I went to Kelowna hoping to find a job. Not long after, Pat drove his Corvette out and we returned to Ontario with the promise of one day retiring at 55 and moving to Kelowna. We never wavered from that promise, so in 2011, we purchased a home in Peachland outside of Kelowna and, after five years, ended up in Kelowna proper. We were thrilled that Jade and Cody followed us out.

Not long after moving to B.C., Pat was asked by a friend to come up to Northern Alberta to join a project with oil and gas. Pat agreed and had his best career. He was a quick study and advanced throughout his ten-year career there with ease. He was highly regarded by all of the staff he had the opportunity to manage and became a mentor and even a father figure to many, especially Larry and Tyson. He was so proud of his employee’s successes, I think more than his own. His next opportunity presented in Northern Manitoba when he was employed by Hudson Bay Minerals at a gold mine for two years. What a great experience that was, and again he made great friends there, especially Reg, Scotty and Nicole. We loved that he was staying on the lake in Snow Lake and brought walleye home. At the time of his death, he was coordinating a contract in Penticton, once again with Tyson, in conjunction with Fortis BC. He was loving it. Somewhere in there he got involved with Pacific Muscle Cars in Kelowna – of course he did. He was so excited to work on Avery’s truck from the TV show, Rust Valley Restorers (Rust Bros).

We always enjoyed the adventure of travel, exploring parts of Canada and the United States with our kids. At one point, we decided to purchase a second home in California and eventually found our way to Europe while following the World Hockey Championships. The first one we attended was in Bern, Switzerland, and, upon our return home, we were told by some folks that they saw us on the jumbotron during the finals. So crazy. Spain and Italy became our favourite countries, with numerous excursions to other European countries. Pat was a huge history buff so Europe was perfect for him. We always kept a travel journal so those moments could be relived. Nerja, Spain, became our second home for the last few years. I am so glad we saw the Italian relatives during our last trip over.

Many discovered that Pat’s garage was like a store. Neighbours, friends, and coworkers knew that’s where they could find a part, a tool, a piece of machinery, or whatever. He never said no – he was so generous. He helped neighbours and friends throughout his life to build their homes and cabins, fix their cars, trucks, machinery and equipment. He started his pet project over thirty years ago of building a Shelby Cobra kit car. Life happened and it took that long to finally finish. He had only gone for the longest drive two years ago when we moved across the city. Sadly, he never did get to take any of the road trips he had always planned to do. That Cobra is a beauty and will always represent Pat. She will never leave this family.

The greatest loves of Pat’s life were his two grandchildren. His whole face lit up when they arrived. He was such a fun “Poppy.” You name it, he played it: hide and seek, dress up, trucks, tea parties, Legos, hula hoop, Barbies. I asked Siena her favourite thing about Poppy. She said, “I loved everything about him but my favourite was whisker rubs and my second favourite was tickle time.” She said Reid’s favourite was reading books with Poppy. Stinkasaurus. We are blessed to have so many photos and videos of the three of them.

Pat was predeceased by his parents; and two sisters Nicole and Nancy (only four days before Pat’s death); Donna’s parents Bill and Mary Tremblay; and her two brothers Harvey Shute and Doug Shute; nephew Mike Shute; and great-niece Katie Shute.

Pat is survived by Donna; our daughter Jade (Jeff Lundy) and their two children Siena (7) and Reid (3), and our son Cody; his sisters-in-law Marcia and Joan Shute; and brothers-in-law Gord and Rod Shute; his best friend since high school Gary Kielczewski; his numerous Canadian, Italian and Belgian cousins and families; and an incredibly wide reach of friends.

I always told him how happy I was that he picked me and, in response, he would say “you saved my life.” I will miss him every second of my life. Until we can meet again somewhere, my one true love.

Pat and I loved the E. E. Cummings poem, I Carry Your Heart, and the book The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance. – Kahlil Gibran

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart) I am never without it (anywhere I go, you go my dear); and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling,

I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful, you are my world, my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart) – E. E. Cummings

Rest in Peace, my D.

Pat wanted a party so we will get together in Fort Frances at the Royal Canadian Legion on Saturday, September 6, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m., with lunch provided.

In his memory, donations to your local animal shelters would be appreciated.