St. John's College was a bit better than the boarding
school, but still very regimented. Louie's brother Sam
managed to retain the Italian language, and kept up some
correspondence with relatives in Italy. Sam and Louie
made contact with the relatives and let them know that
Louie was coming to Rome to study theology.
He arrived in Rome and had to speak with other
Italians through an interpreter until he learned the
language. He studied there for three years, picking up
the Italian language, before coming back to
Canada.
Upon returning he tried to get a job with the Italian
Embassy, but there were no opportunities. He took a job
teaching at the Indian school in Hobbema. While teaching
he worked with another guy who had a sister living in
Edmonton. Louie met her and they married in 1942.
When World War ll broke out Louie joined the militia
through the Knights of Columbus Canadian Army Huts in
Wainwright. This was a social services division of the
army that provided entertainment and services to the
troops.
When he came back to Edmonton he took a job with the
old Dominion Government Telegraphs. In late 1945 he
became the accountant for Mineral Springs Hospital in
Banff until 1950, when he became the business manager
for the Edmonton General Hospital. He worked there until
1958, and then joined the Department of Health.
In 1960 he got involved with the long term care
program, and in 1964 Louie started working as an
administrator of the nursing home program. At this time
he also toured hospitals in the province doing
inspections. He worked at other various administrative
positions in the hospital field, including
administrative officer to the Deputy Minister of
Hospitals, until his retirement in 1979.
After retiring he did some consulting work for the
Sisters of Providence, and some contract work with the
Department of Hospitals.
He visited Italy a couple of times after being
schooled in Rome. He remembers that this afforded him
the opportunity to use the Italian language again.
His brothers and sister all live in B.C. now, but
spent most of their lives in Alberta. His sister also
worked in the hospital field as a nurse.
Younger brother Angelo finished high school and joined
the army during the second world war. He returned and
worked in the car industry throughout Alberta and
British Columbia.
Angelo married and has two sons.
Older brother Sam also married and has two daughters.
Louie and Theresa have three sons. One is a professor
of Health Information Sciences at the University of
Victoria. The second one is Assistant Deputy Minister of
Labour with the federal government. The third son is an
economist and manager of Financial Economic Analysis for
the Treasury Department in Edmonton, and tied into the
Heritage Trust Fund.
All three of Louie's sons are married and they had
seven children between them.
Louie remembers Edmonton when the population was about
50, 000, and you could take the street car for blocks
passing by nothing but bushes.
He remembers meeting the Losa and Nigro families in
Edmonton upon returning from Rome.
Louie does not remember any instances of
discrimination while growing up.
Louie really enjoyed teaching Italian immigrants
English at St. Michael's.
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