Jack and Iris Vendetti were part of the original Italians to settle in the North Bay area. They formed bonds with many of the other Italian families in the town through the years. Those friendships were so treasured and life lasting as they were founded on the common bond of being new immigrants in a new country and a new town. They genuinely cared for each other and helped each other through life’s challenges. They helped each other find employment, supported each other through the ups and downs and celebrated traditions and special family events together.

Jack was born in Frosolone Italy in 1922. His mother, Domenica, died when Jack and his sister Giovanna (who married Tony DeMarco – she was Joan DeMarco) were very young. Their father, Phillipe, left them in the care of relatives in Italy while he set sail to Canada to establish a better life in Canada. Once Phillipe was settled and remarried he sent for the children and they made the boat crossing to Ellis Island. Jack remembered being given a banana upon arrival – he had never seen a banana before that moment. From Ellis Island they headed to North Bay.

Iris was born in North Bay to Nilda & Guerino Pierfedericci . Nilda and Guerino let their respective villages in Italy and met in the garment factories in Montreal. From there they made their way to North Bay. Guerino worked on the Welland Canal and in North Bay was a boiler maker for the railway. They had two children – Iris and Yole.

Iris was a loving wife to Jack, always welcoming a coffee klatch of Jack’s friends with plates of her Italian baking. She worked at the CIBC until she had her children upon which she chose to be a full time wonderful and devoted mother to her children Nadine and Terry.

Jack’s sister married Tony DeMarco and the two families were inseparable throughout their entire lives.

As Jack grew up in North Bay he became very involved in activities in the city. He was a well known musician being a drummer in many different country and western bands. Irwin Prescott and the Mello-Tones, Vic Virgilli and the Laurentian Valley Boys, Alice and Drifters were a few of them. The band had a weekly TV show for many years with a devoted audience from North Bay and the surrounding areas.

Jack was an avid sportsman involved in hockey and fastball at the managerial level. He worked at Palangio Motors and then was employed at H.E. Brown Supply where he was a manager until his final working days.

Jack was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces and was in Halifax stationed to be deployed when the war ended.

He and Iris loved St Rita’s Church in North Bay. Jack served on the Parish Council for many years. He loved children and would always organize any of the children’s special events such as the annual Christmas party in the church basement. He missed a lot of his own early childhood in Italy and lived it vicariously through his own children and through the events he planned either at the church or for the children of the musicians.

He was a member of the Davedi Club and served on the executive.
He was proud of his Italian heritage and wanted to keep it alive within the community. His favourite times there were in the kitchen.
There he would love to help Ollie Domenico and Emma Schiavo as they prepared for large dinners and events. They were all such a team and always had a barrel of laughs as they worked away for the functions.

Following his kidney transplant Jack wanted to thank all his family and friends who stood by him and gave him hope and sent him prayers. He held the event at his beloved Davedi Club and that event gave him great joy. It was to be his last public event before his health took a sad turn. He died at the age of 66 and Iris predeceased him at the age of 61.

They were both “salt of the earth” good people who would do anything for anyone. They had such a hard work ethic, a beautiful inner compass governed by their strong faith and devoted to their children and family. They were truly a blessing to many. How blessed we were to have them as our parents. How fortunate North Bay was to have them in the community.