Giacomo Giovanni Ghisalberti

1945 - 2020

Giacomo Giovanni Ghisalberti
September 17, 1945 - October 19, 2020
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina - Giacomo Giovanni Ghisalberti of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina passed away on October 19, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 32 years, Retha Faye Byrd. He is also survived by two brothers: Marco Ghisalberti (Luisa) of Bergamo, Italy and Alesandro Ghisalberti of Milan, Italy; a sister, Marquerita Gastaldin (Umberto) of Uverdon, Switzerland; a cousin, Suora Agnese Ghisalberti of the Monastero Francescino, Italy; 5 nephews and 3 nieces.
Giacomo came to the United States after achieving a Master of Philosophy at
University of Milan in Italy. He then received a B.A. in Theology at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. as well as a Master of Divinity at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio.
He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1970. He served as an associate pastor at three parishes in the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. In 1975, he transferred to the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina as an assistant priest at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Giacomo then attended Campbell University School of Law at Buies Creek, North Carolina where he received his Juris Doctorate in 1981. While he was in law school, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States on his 35th birthday in 1980. He began practicing law in Riegelwood, North Carolina, where he was also the pastor of Christ the King Catholic Church. Later he would also become pastor of Our Lady of Snows in Elizabethtown, North Carolina. Later in 1996, the church dedicated a new parish hall to Father Giacomo.
In addition to his academic achievements, Giacomo was extremely gifted in music, languages, and art appreciation. He had a natural musical talent for piano, guitar, accordian and keyboard. He was a lover of fine art and was fluent in several languages. Giacomo loved his dogs: Cookie, Bobbie, Abby, Babe, Frankie and Gabriel.
Catholic masses have been held in Italy for Giacomo, near the villages where he grew up. Because of the extenuating circumstances with COVID-19, local services will be private.