Egidio Giarnella, M.d.

Egidio Giarnella, M.D., of Rocky Hill and formerly of Wethersfield, passed away on Wednesday (March 18, 2009). Born in Spigno Saturnia, Italy, he was the son of the late Raffaele and Leonetta (Tedesco) Giarnella. He graduated from Andrea Doria in Novi Ligure, Italy and then attended G. Carducci College in Viareggio, Italy for three years, graduating in 1946 and in 1996 he attended a 50-year reunion with his colleagues. He spent five years in medical school at the University of Pisa and two additional years at Modena University in Modena, Italy, receiving his medical degree in 1953. While in medical school, Egidio served for two years in the Italian Army. He came to America in 1954 and served a rotating internship and two additional years as a resident in Internal Medicine at St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. After moving to Hartford in 1958, Egidio served two additional years in Internal Medicine at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center before passing the ECFMG in 1959 and going into private practice in Hartford on July 1, 1960. He was clinically associated as a physician of Internal Medicine with St. Francis until his retirement in 1998. He was a physician dedicated to his profession and serving the community of Hartford. Egidio was a member of the Hartford County Medical Association, the CT State Medical Association and the Hartford Medical Society. He also served the Hartford Board of Education as a school physician from 1960-1984, was a medical consultant for the Italian Consulate from 1965-1998 and served as Medical Director of Greenwood Health Center and Brittany Farms for several years. Active his entire life, he loved playing the clarinet, tennis, swimming, cycling, singing Italian songs and especially watching his favorite Italian soccer team, Juventus. A true Renaissance man, he enjoyed classical music, especially the opera, history and the arts and travel abroad. He cherished spending time in Old Saybrook at the beach sitting under the tree, enjoying company and some wine. His greatest love in life was his family. Egidio is survived by his daughters, Marisa Giarnella-Porco and her husband Ernie of Andover and Elizabeth Quigley and her husband James of Newington; his four adored grandchildren who held a special place in his heart, Jordan and Taylor Porco and Riley and Rose Quigley; his sisters, Sabina Giarnella of Eastchester, NY and Maria Stella of Berlin; sisters-in-law, Mary Giarnella of New Britain and Theresa Giarnella of Bronx, NY, as well as several nieces and nephews throughout Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Italy. He was predeceased by his five brothers, Domenico, Giuseppe, Livio, Silvio and Aurelio and his two sisters, Letizia Orgera and Teresa Conte. Special thanks to Antonio DiRubba for his dedication and support throughout the years and to the caregivers of Companions and Home Helpers, Joy Jenkins and Phyllis Agyman for their kind and attentive care. Funeral service will leave on Monday, March 23, at 9 a.m. from the D'Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield for a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Augustine's Church, 10 Campfield Ave., Hartford. Burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Family and friends may call on Sunday from 2-6 p.m. at the funeral chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association at: Connecticut Chapter/APDA, 27 Allendale Drive, North Haven, CT 06473 or to the St. Francis Foundation, 95 Woodland St., Hartford, CT 06105 (please reference Geriatrics or Parkinson's in the memo field of your check). For online expressions of sympathy to the family, please visit www.desopo.com.