Former Kitchener Mayor Dom Cardillo passes away
Posted Apr 14, 2013 09:55:32 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A long-serving mayor in Kitchener’s history has passed away.
The family of Dom Cardillo says he had been in critical health for the past three weeks, and passed away early Sunday morning at Sunnyside home.
Cardillo is being remembered fondly by family, friends, and former council members as a man who was proud of his city.
Merv Villemair served on council with Cardillo for 15 years — eight of those years on regional council.
He tells 570 News if there were more people in politics like Dom Cardillo — we’d never have to worry.
Villemair says, “Honesty was all over him.”
He adds Cardillo was a great promoter for the City of Kitchener, and for attracting business.
Current Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr tells 570 News Cardillo was so proud of his city, he would stop to pick up garbage and litter.
Zehr says Cardillo was “very helpful, and would take the shirt off his back” for anybody.
He thinks Cardillo’s legacy will be the relationships he established throughout the community.
“Everybody knew Dom. It was by first name alone. His reputation as a kind, gentle individual was his primary legacy.”
On behalf of city council and residents of Kitchener, Zehr wants to extend his condolences to the Cardillo family.
Regional Chairman Ken Seiling remembers Cardillo as a great community supporter.
“The word ‘no’ was hardly ever in his vocabulary. He always wanted to advance things, and his heart was always in the community.”
Seiling adds, “From the earliest time I knew him, until he finished his life in politics, he always wanted to do good for people.”
Seiling says of working with Cardillo, “sometimes you never quite knew where he was at . . . but he always understood the issues, and always knew what was the right way to go for the community.”
Cardillo was involved in many major projects, like the new city hall.
Cardillo began his career in municipal politics in 1963, and served 20 years as alderman, before being elected as mayor in 1983.
He served 12 years as mayor, until his retirement in 1994.
Cardillo was the longest-serving mayor at the time, now only surpassed by Mayor Zehr.
Cardillo also served 25 years on the county education board, and was an active volunteer with the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association, K-W Big Brothers, and various other clubs.
His funeral will be held Thursday at 11am at St. Anthony Daniel Roman Catholic Church on Midland Drive in Kitchener.
He’s resting at the Henry Walser Funeral Home on Frederick Street in Kitchener.
Visitation is Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.
AUDIO – What friends and former colleagues of Dom Cardillo had to say about him:
Here’s what people are saying on Twitter:
