Rudolph J Girandola

Rudolph J. Girandola, 93, of Allentown, passed away Wednesday, October 9, 2019.  Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, he was a longtime Allentown, NJ area resident.  Rudy is a former newspaper editor, reporter, and sportswriter for the Hartford (Connecticut) Times and the Trenton (New Jersey) Sunday Times.  He was a teacher and education administrator for twenty-six years and worked in the NJ Department of Education, ultimately retiring as Executive Director for New Jersey's oversight of the Federal Vocational Education program.  Rudy had become widely known in the State and National education circles.

Rudy was an accomplished athlete in his youth and played baseball for Fairfield University. He was later employed as the resident tennis "pro" at Birchwood Country Club in Westport, CT.  He also coached baseball at the secondary school level, and in addition to his most recent status as "Grandpa", he was also referred to by his 14 grandchildren as "Coach".

Rudy has had several short stories and human interest and professional articles published, along with poems published in literary magazines.  Prior to earning his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at the Jesuit school of Fairfield University, Rudy studied for the Roman Catholic Priesthood at a seminary in Connecticut, and at Saint Bonaventure's in New York.  His aspiration for the priesthood was disrupted upon first sight of his soon-to-be bride, Valeria Brennan, while she attended Fairfield University taking educational courses in the summer of 1957.  Rudy later went on to publish his life's project, The Jade Chalice, a novel about the Catholic Church and its mystery and beauty, as well as a hard look at its many modern-day flaws set against the backdrop of communist China during the Mao Tse Tung era.

Predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Valeria Lucille Brennan Girandola, Rudolph is survived by his six children: Lyle and his wife Kathleen of Princeton Junction, NJ; Christine and her partner, Patrick Monaghan of Allentown, NJ; Phillip of Lawrenceville, NJ; Robert and his wife Christine of Yardley, PA; Neal and his wife Lisa of Freehold, NJ; and David and his wife Kleo of Nyack, NY. Rudolph is also survived by his fourteen grandchildren Matthew, Carolyn, Kelly, Marguerite, Michael, Madeline, Trevor, Felicia, Leo, Emma, Harry, Meg, Veronica, & Maximilian.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 am on Monday, October 14th at St. John the Baptist RC Church, 1282 Yardville-Allentown Rd., Allentown.  Interment will follow in the parish cemetery.  Friends may call at his viewing on Sunday, October 13, from 2:00 - 5:00 pm at the Peppler Funeral Home, 114 S. Main St. Allentown. Memorial contributions may be made in Rudy’s name to the Allentown First Aid Squad, PO Box 252, Allentown, NJ 08501.