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Wendy Ross posted a condolence

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

We send our sincere sympathies in the passing of your beloved Mother. She was a lovely and talented lady. I recall the many conversations we had when she was making the dresses for my wedding, Her legacy is the lovely family she leaves to cherish her memories. Sincerely. Mike and Wendy Ross

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Carolina & Chris Roberts posted a condolence

Monday, June 29, 2026

Melinda and her family were our neighbors growing up on the Douglas Street block. My mom "Maria" and Melinda became very close friends and for me, Melinda became that life long friendship connect that I will cherish forever. As a very young child, I believed Melinda was a nurse. I presumed this because I was told she worked at the General Hospital. If one of the neighborhood kids were outside playing and one of us got hurt, if Melinda was near, she was quick to apply first aid to our boo-boo, put a band aid on it and lovingly hug us and tell us, "it's all better, now go and play". I even let her pierce my ears. Mom, Melinda and me. At her kitchen table. Piercing Kit comes out. I think I was almost 7 years old. I was nervous but had total confidence in Melinda (and, she was a nurse, right). Before you know it all was done and I was so happy. Then one day, there I see Melinda with hammer in hand tearing down the back wall of her house. Power tools out, dry wall and 2x4 studs piled up. I thought to myself, "she's a carpenter too!". (remember, I was very young). Seriously though, she was a jack-of-all-trades talent. She was creative and smart. A chef in the kitchen, flower and herb garden expert, seamstress, carpenter, animal & nature lover, caregiver....too many skills to mention. When I was growing up and my mom went to visit Melinda, I would always want to tag along. Time spent with Melinda was always filled with warmth and generosity. A bright, happy smile and cheerful greet that always made you feel her joy that you stopped by. If there was something cooking on the stove or fresh baking made she would fix up a plate. You always felt so welcomed. You truly felt like you were family. Melinda was an extraordinary person. Not a cookie cutter type. Fun and fearless. She would take on a task with confidence and determination even knowing it would be difficult. She had that "as long as you try attitude", encouraging others to challenge themselves. That life's not perfect, so make the most of what's given and that it's okay to color outside the lines. Melinda had a genuine way about her. Someone who brings out the best in you and makes you feel good about yourself. A wonderfully generous and kind person who embraced me into her life whole-heartedly. She made me feel special and her love was unconditional. Her loyalty and trustworthiness has been proven over time and her show of affection and acceptance will forever remain a friend whose unique bond cannot be replicated by anyone else. How I admired her strength, her resilience when faced with adversity. She was a power house, a hard-working lady, a dedicated mother and an amazing, beautiful soul. I have endless stories of my journey knowing Melinda, from coming of age, fishing out in Goulais, eating like kings & queens at her table, good conversations and laughing, sometimes till it hurt. I will summarize with saying, your memory is our keepsake and now God has you in His keeping. You are forever in my heart. I Love You. Ti voglio bene mio bellissima amica... ci mancherai Deepest condolences to Elaine, Eddy, Jasmine, Gary and the entire family.

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Richard Zeppa posted a condolence

Sunday, June 28, 2026

Gary and family, sorry for your loss. Thoughts are with you.

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Jasmine Leindecker uploaded photo(s)

Sunday, June 28, 2026

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“Io ti amo Momma Mia” The tributes that Gary and Amy shared put into words the essence of this special person. Momma Mia was and gave pure love. Momma (I started calling her this a few or more years ago – when I started referring to her as Momma Mia in our chats) always amazed me with her knowledge of how to make things, fix things and the naturopathic solutions and remedies for just about anything. For a woman who had a grade 2 education in Italy, leaving her whole world behind as a young teenager to travel across the world to a new land with very little, accompanied by her dear cousin Maria Reda, she exemplified shear fearlessness and determination! Momma used to tell us stories about her life in Italy with her mother and sister. Her father was lost to the war leaving my Nona to raise their daughters on her own. Momma would tell me that she was the mischievous daughter. She once got in trouble for taking a sugar bowl off the table and hiding to eat the sugar. She and her sister would share one pair of shoes…. “Whoever woke up first got to wear them”. This most likely is where her tenacity, determination and shear will were instilled. Some might include the personality trait of stubbornness as well, although I am not sure why (lol). Momma and Maria first worked together in the nursery at the General Hospital but not long after Gary was born, decided it was best for her children if she were home. That didn’t last too long because money was tight so when shopping at a local small butcher shop, she asked for a job. There she learned the different cuts of meats, how to operate a deli and when she was home started a dressmaking business. Momma could make anything from doll clothes to wedding gowns and often didn’t use a pattern or altered the pattern to fit her ideas. She as amazing with a needle and threat and a sewing machine. I remember that she made a rug for our living room out of carpet remnants, and we used to play “Twister” on it. Once I wanted a dress to attend a wedding and she made one within 24 hours in a beautiful buttercup yellow colour. So very talented. Momma liked to rearrange furniture and didn’t wait for Daddio (my name for our father) to come home to help. There was one time that he came home after being away fishing or hunting and went to sit down on a chair in the living room that was no longer there (he didn’t turn on lights so didn’t see it was gone). There was another time where they decided to renovate and expand our family home on Wilding Avenue to include a basement and make an L shape extension for a garage and living area above. Well… Daddio was taking far too long for Momma’s liking so one day after I came home from school there was Momma Mia… sledgehammer in hand in the midst of ripping the back wall of the house down. Some of us pitched in to help her and before long the back of the house was no longer there. She hoisted an extension ladder and that is how the kids got upstairs to their bedrooms. Needless to say, when Daddio got home from his fishing or hunting trip this time … well…. You can just imagine! You would think he would learn that if he didn’t get things done that Momma wanted, she would do it herself… and especially when he was away! She used to walk to Stedmans and the grocery store at the Market Mall at all seasons of the year. I recall coming home with her one of those times and it was cold weather. She carried most of the bags herself and when we got home, she vowed that she was going to learn to drive and buy her own car… and she did. I believe it was a Galaxy 500. When our parents ended their marriage after almost 20 years, Momma had found a better paying job working in the meat department of A&P and Safeway. When Safeway was laying people off, Momma used her seniority to move to the baking department on the condition that she could decorate cakes. I can still see her practicing how to make roses from icing … again… her determination carried her through times like this. She ended up being one of the best cake decorators the store had... all bias aside. One thing both of our parents taught me was that you can end a relationship without animosity. Sure, at first there was, which is natural, but they became friends, and you could see that they truly still had love for each other. Even after Daddio’s stroke in May 2011, Momma took him in and cared for him. Mind you that from time to time they were reminded why they divorced, but there was always that love that never truly diminished. These were the earlier years that set the path for how she would live her life doing what she needed to do to get where she wanted to be. Momma was also a very caring, loving and generous person. She often would help strangers out whose luck was down and provide food, clothes and a place to stay. I remember there was a time when a young man had a puppy and stayed with Momma at Wilding Avenue. He said he needed a vehicle but could not pay for one so Momma offered him her truck on a payment plan. Well… they guy disappeared with the truck, leaving his Rottweiler puppy behind. The guy and the truck were not to be found, but Momma adopted the puppy whose name was Keesha. Even after being swindled, this didn’t deter her from continuing to be compassionate and giving. Everyone was welcomed in Momma’s home… 2-legged and 4-legged … it didn’t matter to her. Whether a human being or animal, everyone received love. About 90% of my holiday time since I moved away from home was going back home to spend time with Momma. One of those visits she had duck eggs under a lamp in her bedroom. Tyler helped one of those ducks hatch through its egg shell and the entire week we were there “Freddy” followed him around. Always a learning experience in one way or another. Each time we left after a visit, it was so hard to leave her. I don’t recall one time that we didn’t cry… often it would not be until St. Joseph Island before the tears would stop. If you ever wanted a recipe for something that she cooked or baked, the only way you could get the exact “a little bit of this and a little bit of that” was to watch and help her make it. I think that is where I got the inability to follow a recipe exactly – always doctoring it up a bit. There were a number of homes that she owned… on Wilding Avenue (the anchor home), Arden Street, Douglas Street and then the move out of town just past Harmony Bay. The latter being just another adventure for her that easily came without hesitation … again ... fearlessness. This is when she started her little hobby farm with goats and chickens … and how she loved those goats!! (she actually named one after me lol). When she was threatened with zoning issues and a possibility that her goats would be taken away, she bought another piece of property out in Goulais that was dubbed “Goat Land” but eventually the issues were dealt with, and she didn’t have to move her goats. She would spend hours in the goat pen sitting with her goats and learned to make cheeses from the goat milk. What an amazing woman!! Moving from her cherished home was a major adjustment for her but in time she adjusted well to hew new life at Van Daele Manor. During one telephone call she told me that that they take such good care of her she was going to live to 100. She loved Bingo and any word that a game was going to be played, Momma would be ready and willing...and often won. We went on outings walking to Dairy Queen for an ice cream and used a hat she crafted for one of the walks. I could go on and on with stories about Momma Mia that bring me closer to her. When she was in the Soo hospital for a 6-week stay for a post surgery infection, we started our own little ritual when I left her. I remember very little Italian from my earlier days but do recall a few words … after exchanging a lot of hugs and kisses, I would say “ciao ciao Momma Mia”; she would reply “ciao bell amia”; I would then say “Io tia amo Momma Mia” and she would say “Ti amo, mia cara figlia” and we would blow kisses to each other as I was walking out the door. Io ti amo Momma Mia "Jesse"

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Amy uploaded photo(s)

Saturday, June 27, 2026

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As shared June 22, 2026 My grandma was one of the strongest and best people I have ever known. Hands down; there is no comparison. We lost her June 20, at 90 years old, after quite a full life. At just 15 years old, she left Calabria, Italy, and came to Canada, settling in Sault Ste. Marie. She arrived in a new country with little more than courage, determination, and a strong work ethic. She worked in the deli department of a grocery store and ran her own business as a seamstress. When my grandpa left in the mid-1970s, she did what she had to do. She bought the family home and carried on with four kids. Over the years, she purchased and renovated several houses, often doing some of the work herself. It wasn’t unusual for her to have a hammer in her hand, tearing down a wall and loading up her truck with supplies. She wasn’t afraid of hard work; if something needed to be done, she did it. Eventually, she purchased a camp property on Lake Superior and transformed it into a home. Later, she bought the land next door and built the house where she spent the last 25 (or more) years of her life, overlooking the lake. Some of my happiest childhood memories were made there on that lake, visiting her. My “Nanny” as I called her (pronounced Nunny) helped raise me, and I was so lucky to spend so much of my childhood with her. I remember visiting her friends’ homes, eating biscotti, and breathing in the smell of strong Italian coffee. Even now, certain smells instantly bring me back to Nanny: lilacs, lilies, wild roses, raspberries, and fresh strawberries from the garden. She always had flowers, berries and veggies in her gardens and let me pick what I wanted. She taught me to sew. She taught me to bake. She taught me to make tie plates (IYKYK). She taught me so many things. I think her love language was quality time - she loved being around the people she loved and she was always so sad to see us leave. It was never easy for anyone. It’s because of her that I love dogs so much. She’s always had a dog - sometimes two! And big dogs. At one time, she had a Rottweiler named Keesha (My Dolly is part Rottie)… I guess I come by my love of dogs honestly - especially the big ones. I definitely inherited her work ethic. When she was 70 years old, she hand-chopped a chord of wood. It took a little longer, but she did it. Nanny was a bad ass and I’m so proud to be her granddaughter. I’m doing my best to carry on her legacy through landscaping my backyard myself. I hope she’s looking down and helping me out! Being Italian, food was definitely one of the ways she showed love. She always made sure people were fed. If she thought I looked smaller than the last time she saw me, she’d tell me I needed to eat more. If I didn’t eat breakfast, she was on it and offering me all the options. She just wanted me to eat. It didn’t matter whether you were family, a friend, or someone working on one of her houses. If you were in her home, you were going to be looked after. This included her goats! It wasn’t unusual to find her in the kitchen handfeeding a baby goat! She had a huge heart and was always willing to help others - there weren’t many people she didn’t like. She always thought the best of people. I remember one day when she invited a young Italian man who was doing work at her property to come live with her because he was going through a hard time and she had the space. That was simply who she was. Whenever she saw someone who needed help, her instinct was to offer it. She was selfless. Over the last few years, her health declined. She had to move out of her beautiful home and into a long term care residence. This was a big shift for her but she found joy in live music and bingo. I spent my 42nd birthday there with her, my mom and Dolly. It was the best birthday for many reasons, but that was the most important. That day was one of my all-time favourite days. She started using a cell phone over the last few years, including opening up a Facebook account with my help. It was so funny how she enjoyed it! She left me a voicemail once asking for help because she couldn’t get in to her Facebook account! “Hi Amy! I can’t get into Facebook. I don’t know how. Can yoy please help me? I love you!” I have so many voicemails I’ve saved over the years from here and they bring me comfort and some laughs now. I’m so glad I saved them. The voicemails and the texts! I loved getting texts from her - they would always make me smile whether she was replying to me or sending me random photos. She ALWAYS said I love you. She loved so hard: something I’ve also inherited from her. What I admired most about Nanny was how she lived. She lived simply, she didn’t need any excess. She was resilient, capable, independent, generous, and determined. She didn’t complain. She didn’t make excuses. She simply did what she had to do and kept moving forward. She taught by example. I am who I am today because of many people who have influenced me, but Nanny’s example was one of the strongest. Many of the qualities I admire most in her are qualities I hope I have inherited myself. I hope to live my life in a way that honours her memory and reflects the lessons she taught me. I know she would always be proud of me no matter what, but I aspire to be better because of her. My middle name is Melinda, given to me in her honour. Today, that means more to me than ever. It is a reminder that a piece of her will always be with me. I have a tattoo on my arm: ti amo in her handwriting which means I love you in Italian. That is something I will appreciate more now, every time I look at it. I am grateful beyond words that she was my Nanny and I will miss her joyful voice and her biggest heart. Ti amo

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GARY GATTERNIG uploaded photo(s)

Friday, June 26, 2026

A mothers love begins in the womb and > even the choice to have us is huge.It is a choice to love > us. > A mothers love grows as we do, protecting us, feeding us and > preparing us for the big push into this crazy life to begin > our perilous journey. > We are all born into this life with only one thing. > A mothers love > A mothers love is fierce and they would not hesitate to give > their lives to keep us from harm. > A mothers love is giving and selfless,so much that they > would go hungry and do without so that we would be fed and > have what we needed. > A mothers love is a bond that bridges the gap from the > physical world to the spiritual one.Always guiding us to > make the right choices,always protecting us. > I should have been dead at least 4 times up to this point if > not for a mothers love.This is a fact. > We owe everything we have today to mother and her love. > If all of our possesion were stripped from us today, had > nobody to call friend,had lost it all. > There would still be one thing that can never be lost,a > mothers love. > Thank you for all the mothers in my life who are on this > side and on the other side of life. > I am here today and the person I am because of you > I love you to

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Sooboy Posted Jun 26, 2026 at 7:01 PM

One of the strongest women to walk this earth. And I am proud to call her mother

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The family of Melinda Gatternig uploaded a photo

Friday, June 26, 2026

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The family of Melinda Gatternig uploaded a photo

Friday, June 26, 2026

Melinda Gatternig

1936 - 2026

Proudly Serving the Communities of Sault Ste. Marie, Echo Bay, Desbarats, St. Joseph Island, Goulais River, Searchmont, and Bruce Mines, ON for over 35 years.

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