Joseph Giorlando

84 YEARS OLD

Joseph grew up in a Sicilian family in Brooklyn. He graduated from Franklin K. Lane High School, Brooklyn, New York in 1950. He then went to Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1956. Joseph met his wife, Geraldine at a Tito Puente dance in Brooklyn. Joe and Gerry married a year later at our Lady of Lourdes Church in Brooklyn.

He was drafted into the United States Army where he worked in the Chemical Corps utilizing his knowledge of chemistry to work on chemical warfare. He was stationed in Utah. Gerry accompanied him and gave birth to their first daughter, Jeanne in Utah. They moved back to Brooklyn where their two other daughters, Joan and Ann were born.

Joseph worked for various pharmaceutical companies in sales. He returned to school and received his Master’s of Science Degree in Pharmacy Administration from Long Island University, Brooklyn College of Pharmacy in 1965. He received a second Master’s Degree from Long Island University in Education in 1966.

Joseph became a school teacher and taught science at PS 161 and Lefferts Junior High School in Brooklyn. The family moved to Staten Island in 1968. He taught science at Dreyfus Junior High School and Egbert Junior High School in Staten Island. Joseph continued his schooling and received a Professional Diploma in Educational Research from Fordham University in 1969. He then obtained his PhD in Education from Fordham University in 1973. He continued to teach science at IS 29 and IS 70 in Manhattan.

Joseph decided to go back to school for a second career as a Registered Nurse. He graduated from Hunter College - Bellevue School of Nursing and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1977. He worked at various hospitals including Metropolitan Hospital, Montefiore Hospital (Rikers Island), St. Luke’s - Roosevelt Hospital, Brooklyn Hospital, Coney Island Hospital, Bayley Seton Hospital, and South Beach Psychiatric. He worked in labor and delivery, psychiatry, and alcohol detox. He worked per diem in addition to teaching.

Joseph also worked as a Narcotic Parole Officer and a Credentialed Alcoholism Counselor. He became certified as an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist as well as a Certified Massage Therapist and a Certified HIV Counselor.

He eventually taught nursing at Julia Richmond High School in Manhattan and retired in 1991. He received many awards and honors for excellence in teaching. His accomplishments in academia were enormous. He was a brilliant man with a wealth of knowledge.

Joseph loved to read and he wrote poetry. He had three volumes of poetry published. He was a great artist and drew many pictures including a self-portrait.

Joseph was a very caring person and loved his family. He always helped his children with homework and reports. He had a solution for everyone’s problems and offered such support and strength to his family. Joseph had a great sense of humor and would make everyone laugh. He had such great stories and a wonderful imagination.

He will be forever missed by his family and friends. Joseph is survived by his wife, Geraldine; his three daughters, Jeanne, Joan, and Ann; and his granddaughters, Karen, Krista and Kaelee.