Obituary of Mary Hope Theresa Giardino

Mary Hope T. Giardino was born in Washington, D.C., to Antonio and Mary Cunsolo Petralia on May 9, 1930.  She graduated from Immaculata High School and Immaculata Junior College in 1951 where she received an AA degree in Communications.  On October 20, 1951, she married Dr. Joseph P. Giardino.  They returned to Fulton County in the mid 1950’s when Dr. Joe began his practice in Gloversville where she worked as his bookkeeper in their home Office. They celebrated 51 years of marriage together until her husband Dr. Joe passed away on April 13, 2002. 

She liked to keep things simple and often said when I pass please just say: “I was born, I did a lot of stuff and I died.”  No such luck mom!  You gave so much of yourself to our family and the Gloversville community and you certainly deserve to be recognized for your contributions.

They have five children together:  Paul, Joseph Jr.(Diana), Dr. Anthony (Dani), Richard and Mary Hope (David).  She was predeceased by her parents, her husband and her beloved granddaughter Tara.  She is survived by her children and grandchildren: Justin (Christie), Jolyn (Matt Bloom), Joseph III (Michelle), Michael (Tulla), William, Thomas (Jessica), Richard, Michelle, Marielyse (Anthony Leonetti) and Daniel.  Her great-grandchildren:  Hunter and Reagan, Matthew, Madison and Anderson, Theodore, Ace, Maverick and Luciano.  And also her brother-in-law Charles (Albina) Giardino who live in Chapel Hill, NC as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

As a teen ager, Mary Hope and her girlfriends would go to the radio station after school and perform live; singing the jingle for Manny, Moe and Jack auto parts ads.  She had a beautiful voice and even had a tryout with the Washington, DC Metropolitan Opera.  She sang for years at the Concordia Club and enjoyed the many friendships she cherished there.  She also sang weekly at the Extended Care Nursing Home at Nathan Littauer Hospital delighting many people along the way. 

She was a member of Sacred Heart Church and now the Church of the Holy Spirit.  She was a member of the Choir, the Rosary Society and the Director of Religious Education.  She was elected to the Gloversville Board of Education and served a number of years.

She was a proud Republican and served in several capacities of the City and County Republican Committees and Clubs. She was a past President of the Fulton County Women’s Republican Club.

Mary Hope proudly served on many community Boards and Task Forces including President of the Senior Center Fulton County, Board member of the Glove Theatre, the Historical Society and County Museum and the Senior Chorus. She was a member of the Nathan Littauer Hospital Auxiliary and a member of the Intergenerational Program at GHS.  She was appointed by Governor Pataki in 2002 as a State Commissioner on the NYS Advisory Committee on the Office of the Aging.  

Mary Hope enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She enjoyed cooking, painting, knitting, going out to dinner, traveling the Country and the World with her husband, Joseph and working with him in his office.

The Family wishes to thank the staff of the NLH Nursing home for the excellent care they provided to her since 2014.  They also wish to thank her loving care givers who gave her so much joy in the past few years:  Vera, Regina, Carol, Stacey, Bert, Ellie and Sue.

In Lieu of Flowers please feel free to donate to the charity of your choice.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday September 24, 2021 at the Church of the Holy Spirit, 151 S. Main Street, Gloversville from 9 am to 12pm where a Mass of Christian Burial will follow at Noon.

Interment will follow at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Johnstown.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Walrath & Stewart Funeral Home, Gloversville.

Online condolences to the family may be made at www.brbsfuneral.com