Jack Giannini

Jack Giannini
Jack L. Giannini of Belleville, Ill., died on Sept. 7, 2009.
An attorney at law having practiced in Belleville at 23 S. First Street, he initially associated with William D. Stiehl, Sr., a prominent local attorney who subsequently was elevated to the position of Federal District Court assigned to court in East St. Louis. For many years, Giannini was a single practitioner, and in 1992, he joined the law firm of a long time friend, William Enyart, on South Second Street in Belleville who subsequently became the Adjutant General of the State of Illinois.
A member of the St. Clair County Bar Association and the Illinois Bar Association, Giannini commenced the practice of law in Belleville in 1971.
He retired that same year from the United States Air Force at Scott Air Force Base after 30 years of military service. He retired at the rank of full Colonel.
Colonel Giannini entered the military service on Nov. 7, 1941, just 30 days before the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He served in most theaters of operation wherein the Air Force participated. He saw duty in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, India, Burma, China, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, France, Germany, England, Spain, Turkey, and Greece.
Giannini received two Legion of Merit awards, the Air Medal with five clusters, Bronze Star, and various theater of operations citations. He served on the staffs of and was a personal advisor on publications and morale to commanding Generals of Tactical Air Command, Military Airlift Command, and Military Advisory Group, Vietnam
Rated a command pilot having logged over 5700 hours of flight time in some 22 different types of aircraft, he is credited with 97 combat missions in various combat theaters of operation wherein American forces were engaged in hostile situations.
Giannini was educated in Evansville, Ind., attending Reitz High School. He attended Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge, La., College of William and Mary at Williamsburg, Va., in undergraduate school and Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tenn. While in undergraduate studies, he participated in the football program on an athletic scholarship.
While in the practice of law in the Belleville area, he assisted fellow practitioners in family matters akin to the military service.
Giannini was a gifted and prolific writer. Friends remember him typing at his manual typewriter at his desk. He was also a visionary. He saw computers as the typewriters of the future and strongly believed that our children need computer training to be successful. As a result, after his retirement Giannini donated money to many local schools for computers, school libraries, and computer labs. Recipients included the Belleville Public Library, St. James Grade School in Millstadt, Germantown Public School, Belleville District 118 Grade Schools and Junior High Schools, and All Saints Academy in Breese. In addition to his donation for school computers, Giannini made significant contributions to various high schools for their band programs and Okaw Valley Boy Scouts of America. In honor and memory of his deceased son, Roger Giannini, he established a scholarship program at SWIC.
Giannini will be fondly remembered by his family and friends for his patriotism, generosity, love of family, gift with words, and marvelous sense of humor. He was one of the heroes of the greatest generation.
Surviving are his wife, Marguerite Giannini and stepdaughter, Janet Rosenstengel.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Mary Ellen, nee Stanfield, Giannini; and his only son, Roger Giannini.

"Sleep well dear Jack, and may bands of angels sing you to your sleep."

In lieu of flower, donations may be made to Autism Speaks. Donations will be accepted at the funeral home.

Visitation: Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home in Belleville, Ill.

Funeral: Funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009, at the funeral home.

VALHALLA GAERDNER HOLTEN FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, Ill.