Antoinette Giordano

Antoinette was born September 15, 1915 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, to Frank and Maria Pappalardo, and was the third of 6 children. At the age of 14, she and her family, moved cross country to San Jose, California, where she worked to help support her family. At age 21, she married Frank John Giordano Sr., and together, they had three children, Dee, Carol and Frank Jr.

In her early years, she worked packing prickly pears, cherries, cutting apricots and at Foster Foods packing house. She also spent time shelling walnuts for a distributor.

To her children and grandchildren, she was “Mom”, “Mother”, “Grammie”, “Grandma” and “Grandma-grams”. To family and friends, she was known as “Anty”. She was known for her hospitality. Unexpected company never left “Anty’s” house hungry. At the drop of a hat she would prepare a meal fit for a king. At the holidays, family and friends would all look forward to the many cookies she baked. She was also known for the love and affection she showed for all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

At age 62, she returned to work, taking a job as a cook for the San Jose Unified School District for 3 years. As “Grandma”, she cared and cooked for all of her grandchildren, and at times their friends, and eventually some of her great-grandchildren, for as long as she was physically able to.

Antoinette was preceded in death by her husband Frank Sr. in May of 2005 and her son, Frank Jr. in 2009, her granddaughter Natalie, Daughter-in-law Gianna, her parents, brothers Tom and Charlie, sisters Carmella, Rose and Anna, in-laws, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

In 2009, she moved from San Jose to Dublin, California where she passed away.

Antoinette is survived by daughters Dee, Carol and her husband Narch, Daughter-in-law Patti, Grandsons Glenn and his wife Melanie, Michael and his wife Tara, and Robert, Granddaughters Melissa and her husband Jose, Stephanie and her husband Mark, and Andrea, Great-grandchildren Brandon, Alyssa, Tiyana, Alessandra, Roman, Matthew, James and Evan, 4 sisters-in-law, 1 brother-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.

Her passing marks the end of a Pappalardo generation who loved and honored God and family.