Linda Rachele Giannone

Linda Rachele Giannone (née Rossi) passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 3, 2024 in San Rafael, California at the age of 97. Linda was born in Comuneglia (La Spezia), Italy on June 18, 1927 to Irene and Silvio Rossi. Linda and her family survived World War II, and after Italy was liberated, she married her husband Italo, who would be her life partner for 73 years until he passed away in 2020. A few years after they got married, they had a daughter, Liliana. Linda, Italo, and Liliana came to the USA in the 1950’s with her parents (Irene and Silvio), sister (Maria) and her brothers (Giovanni, Donato, and Frank). Linda worked as a seamstress until she eventually got a position as a food server at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club in North Beach, where she would work for 25 years until retirement. Linda and Italo would welcome their son, Luigino, as the family of four built a humble and loving home in North Beach until they relocated to the Marina District in 1969. After Linda retired, she enjoyed helping her parents, cooking, cleaning, spending time with her grandchildren, and walking her morning route around the Marina Greens with Italo and her good friend Rosa. Linda is famous for her large family dinners of 40-50 people, prepared with her sister Maria, when they would stretch out several tables in the garage and serve homemade ravioli, fagioli from the garden, and Linda’s famous cookies and cakes. Linda is known to all for her gentle demeanor and to those closest, her ability to keep everyone and everything organized. She will be missed dearly for her shrewd advice, carefully maintained traditions, her gnocchi di castagna, her torta di patata, and her unconditional love for her family. Her great-grandchildren will especially miss her playful nature.

She is survived by her daughter Liliana Licata (late husband Franco) of San Rafael; her son Luigino Giannone and wife Tobi of Petaluma; her grandchildren, Anna Maria Coombs and husband Dave, Daniela Imahara and husband Mike, Gabriella Licata, Rochelle Giannone-Asbill and partner Aaron, and Nicholas Giannone and wife Whitney, and her great-grandchildren, Roman, Nico, William, Kenzie, Jake, Freya, and Santino; her brother Frank Rossi and wife Kathy; and numerous other family members and friends in the US, Italy, South America, and Qatar. Linda was preceded in death by her husband Italo, her son-in-law Franco, her parents, Irene and Silvio, and her siblings, Maria, Donato, and Giovanni.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects on Tuesday, July 16th, with the viewing at 10:30am and funeral mass at Saint Peter and Paul Church, 666 Filbert St, San Francisco, followed by a reception at 1:00pm at the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. There will be a private entombment on Wednesday, July 17th for family only. In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorial contributions in Linda’s memory be made to the The Salesian Boys’ and Girls’ Club, 680 Filbert Street, San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 397-3068. Arrangements under the direction of Green Street Mortuary, 649 Green St, San Francisco, CA 94133, (415) 433-5692.