Obituary for Joseph Stocco

With broken hearts and sadness his family announces the peaceful passing of Joseph Stocco, father, husband, brother, community leader, and entrepreneur, at the age of 78 years at Richmond General Hospital on Friday August 14, 2020.

Born Guiseppe Stocco in the village of Panettieri, Southern Italy on September 1st, 1941, to Massimo and Teresa Stocco. Joe immigrated to Canada in 1952 with his mother, his eldest sister Maria and younger brothers, Carmen and Carlo to settle with their father in Nipigon, Ontario. There the family would grow, with the addition of his sister Gina.

Joe was a driven man, always on the lookout for a project to bring to life. He had numerous ventures, starting as a delivery driver for local companies in Nipigon. He served as Reeve of Nipigon for a time in the 1960s. He soon moved from employee to entrepreneur and hotelier, owning the Village Inn (Red Rock, Ontario) then the Woodlands Inn (Longlac, Ontario).

In 1985, Joe rejoined his brothers Carmen and Carlo when he relocated his family to the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Joe purchased the Thunderbird Motor Inn (Duncan, BC) along with The Inn at the Water Resort (Cowichan Bay, BC). He also laid the groundwork for what is now the Duncan Lakes Golf Course.

From his adolescence, Joe took to the beautiful outdoors of Northwestern Ontario and developed a love for fishing. Rain or shine and regardless of attire, he found happiness with a rod in one hand and a minnow bucket in the other. His many adventures fishing in Ontario for pickerel became adventures fishing for chinook salmon off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Joe will be lovingly remembered by his family: Wife Mary Thang of Richmond, BC, son Mario Stocco (Carina Diller) of Victoria, BC, daughter Lisa Stocco of Courtenay, BC, sisters Mary (Sam) Cicchitano and Gina (Gordon) Sutton of Thunder Bay, Ontario, brother Carlo (Paula) Stocco and sister-in-law Betty Stocco of Duncan BC, his nieces and nephews, Dino Cicchitano

and Linda (Peter) Kibzey of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Christopher (Carrie) Stocco of Surrey, BC, Tania (David) Keeler and Angie (Chris) Gagne of Victoria, BC, Jason Sutton of Thunder Bay, Ontario and Jennifer (Marcus) Walker of St. Joseph, Minnesota.

A private viewing will be held Thursday, August 20th, 2020, at Richmond Funeral Home from 9:00 am to 9:45 am followed by cremation. Should friends desire, memorial donations may be made to the Richmond Hospital Foundation https://www.richmondhospitalfoundation.com/.