Canadian veteran and legion branch president dies

Antipodean Andy · Apr 20, 2008

Peterborough Examiner - Ontario, CA

To the community Anthony (Tony) Basciano was known as a long-time barber, Second World War veteran and former Royal Canadian Legion Branch 52 president. To his family he was a protector, provider, a storyteller with a sweet tooth and a hunk.

Mr. Basciano died Wednesday at 8:45 p.m. after 6 1/2 weeks at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. He was 86.

Pat Basciano, his wife of nearly 33 years, said her husband loved the legion, his barbershop his many friends and family.

Mr. Basciano was nearly 80 when he retired in 2000 after 53 years to his disappointment, she said.

“He always said ‘I’d still be working but my wife made me quit,’ and I said ‘maybe the fact that you were in intensive care and we thought you were going to die had something to do with it,’” she said.

His health had been a problem for nearly a decade, Pat said, with a stroke, heart problems and prostate cancer.

Born in Italy, Mr. Basciano moved to Peterborough when he was 18 months old and remained here his whole life except for the war.

During the Second World War, Mr. Basciano spend six years overseas in Sicily, Italy and Holland.

His daughter, Nicole Cooke, said her dad described that time as some of the best years of his life.

“He would rarely talk about it, but whenever he talked about it almost every story was a good story,” she said. “He didn’t like to talk about the negative things he would tell us the funny things.”

Mr. Basciano lied about his age to enlist and was named a sergeant at 20, Cooke said.

When he returned to Peterborough he took a barbering course and his shop gained a strong reputation. Pat said new recruits would be sent to his shop for their brush cuts.

“It was really hard on him when he had to retire because of his health, he absolutely loved the job it was a real social outlet for him,” Cooke said. “It was a good business, he was a hard worker it certainly gave us kids a good life.”
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