Decorated Second World War veteran Sir Armand James Denicola died Friday at the age of 96.
Denicola earned many medals of honour and was awarded the National Order of the Legion of Honour from France for his part in the liberation of France.
At three years old, Denicola and his family came to Prince George from Italy in 1925.
He was raised on the family homestead on Foreman Road and enlisted in the Canadian Scottish Regiment when he was 20 years old.
Prior to enlisting, he worked as a cowboy in the Chilcotin area for the C1 Ranch and the Chilko Ranch near Alexis Creek, west of Williams Lake.
After nearly three years in the armed forces he returned to the Chilcotin for a short time.
In 1947, and after his dad passed away, Denicola moved back to Foreman Road and took up farming to help his mother. He spent the rest of his life living on the farm.
Denicola went into partnership operating a saw mill on Foreman Road. At the same time he farmed potatoes and eggs commercially which he sold to Roy Yip's chain of seven grocery stores.
Denicola met his wife-to-be Doreen in 1960 and they married in 1964.
Armand worked in the logging industry and later at the Dominion Experimental Farm.
Some time later he went to work at the Ministry of Transport as the supervisor of runway maintenance at the airport until his retirement in 1984.
After his retirement Denicola worked for the ministry on a part-time basis during the winter keeping the runways clear.
Armand and Doreen raised three children who grew up and still reside in Prince George, including Drew and wife Kelly, Sanna, Neal and wife Brenda, his grandchildren Ashleigh, Natasha, Scott, Shailen, Alisha, Simon, Chris and Amy, and great grandchildren Ciaran, Abigail and Lucia. He is pre-deceased by his parents Antonio and Maria, his brother Joe and sister Lucy, nephew Tony and granddaughter Kira.
The family asks in lieu of flowers that donations be made in his name to the Prince George Legion Branch 43 or the Prince George Hospice Society.
A memorial will be held at Blackburn Community Hall on March 21 at 1 p.m.
