Family and friends of a Second World War veteran from Guelph had 100 reasons to celebrate his birthday on Sunday at the Italian Canadian Club.
Pacifico Valeriote hit the century mark on Monday, but a big party was thrown for him at the Italian Canadian Club the day prior.
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Guelph’s Royal Canadian Legion Colour Guard and members of the legion presented him with an RCAF Association Lifetime Member Certificate.
Valeriote, who was the ninth of 16 children, was born and raised on Alice Street and has remained a loyal Guelphite ever since.
He married Elsa in 1957 and has four children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Valeriote, known to his loved ones as Puss, enlisted with the RCAF during the Second World War and served as a radar technician in England, Scotland, Italy, Tunisia and Algeria.
After the war, he settled back in Guelph and was a long-time Guelph business owner. He was also a founding member of Guelph’s Italian Canadian Club.
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For Valeriote’s big day, family and friends travelled from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, California, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, British Columbia and throughout Ontario.
Donations at the event were accepted for the Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington.
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