Born December 25, 1929 in France, Peter
Giorgi came to the U.S. at a young age. He grew up in Mansfield, PA, and
always worked several jobs at once to support his family. After
volunteering in the Navy and obtaining his College degrees (including a
Masters in Education) he moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he purchased the
house that his dear mother, Donal Giorgi, was able to live in for decades,
and where he lived once he retired. While teaching in France, he met his
esteemed wife Detelina Giorgi, a lawyer, and they had their two wonderful
children, Jean-Pierre and Gisele. They then resided in Vicenza, Italy, for
over thirty years, where he was a deeply beloved teacher at Vicenza
American High School. He taught every subject and grade (including
college) at least once, and ran international summer programs, but he
mainly focused on a program of career counseling, COWEX, which he
pioneered and developed. He traveled widely, was very active in the
community, and was an extraordinarily innovative, effective and dedicated
educator. He was a generous, kind person who was a loyal friend and a
great raconteur. He never stopped educating, creating, and inspiring.
His heart was always open to a myriad of grateful students, colleagues,
friends, and family. He was brilliant and endlessly interested in people,
history, geography, sports, jeopardy, good food, and the enjoyment of
life. He genuinely lived out his values of justice, compassion, respect
for all, and change through education. He was strong and adaptable in the
face of debilitating illness. He was a very devoted son, husband, father,
teacher, and friend. He will be greatly missed by the many people who
cherished him, including his wife, Detelina; children, Jean-Pierre, an
artist, and Gisele, a biology professor and researcher; his brother, Colin
and wife, Lynn and their children, Roger and Carol, and Don's wife, Judy
and their children, Tim and Shannon. A Memorial Service will be held
Monday, September 21, 2009 at MARTINEZ FUNERAL CHAPELS at 400 p.m. Please
go to www.petergiorgi.org to leave remembrances and for more information
about scholarships in his name. Arrangements entrusted to MARTINEZ FUNERAL
CHAPELS, 2580 S. 6th Ave., Tucson, AZ.
