DALLA ZANNA, Fortunato (Renato)

December 1, 1945 - May 19, 2020 It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Fortunato. Fortunato was born in the village of Sant'Eulalia (Borso del Grappa) in Treviso, Italy, on December 1, 1945, to Emilio Dalla Zanna and Maria Dallan. In 1964, at the age of 18, he left his parents' home to find work in Vancouver, British Columbia. Trained in Italy as a cabinet maker, he quickly found work in the construction industry as a carpenter. He met the love of his life, Leonilde (Nilde), in 1966, and they married on January 21, 1967. Together, they bought and remodeled their first home on Frances Street in Vancouver and started a family. As his family grew from one child to five children, Fortunato would go on to build new homes on Halifax, Kitchener, and Grant Street in Burnaby. Always the hard worker, he oversaw the remodeling and renovation of his last home on Howard Avenue in Burnaby while in his 70s. In 1974, he started his own construction company. The company grew, and so did his reputation as a well-respected member within the industry. His coworkers, business partners, and friends knew him as a man of his word. They turned to him for advice and for his witty one-liners that perfectly summed up the situation at hand. He was considered a father figure by many because of his compassionate and generous nature. Fortunato's true passion was spending time at his farm. He enjoyed the mountain views, raising cattle and chickens, and cutting hay in the summer. No matter how busy he was at the farm, he would stop everything and spend time with anyone that came out for a visit. At home, nothing brought Fortunato more joy than sharing a delicious meal prepared lovingly by his wife with family and friends. Fortunato will be lovingly remembered by his wife Leonilde; his children Oriana, Emilio, Melissa, Oris, and Michael; his sons-in-law and daughters-in-law; his grandchildren; his siblings Mario, Lina, and Rosita; and his many nieces and nephews. He will be forever loved and greatly missed. Prayers will be offered on Friday, June 5, 2020, at 7:00 PM, at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, with a private Mass of Christian Burial the following day on Saturday, June 6, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Canadian Kidney Foundation would be greatly appreciated.