Ricardo H. Giorgis

Ricardo Giorgis, age 63, of Circle Pines, MN, succumbed to an untimely struggle with ALS on August 11, 2025. He was known simply as "Señor" to those in the Centennial community. And in his hometown of Carlos Paz, friends and family called him "Chiri."  Ricardo was born on May 25, 1962 to Rubén and Elba Giorgis in Carlos Paz, province of Córdoba, Argentina. He grew up surrounded by a caring, extended family and countless lifelong friends.

Upon graduating from high school in 1980, Ricardo was drafted into the Argentine Army and served two years. He trained as a paratrooper and served his home country during the Falkland War in 1982.

Ricardo's passion for fútbol (soccer) began early. He was an ardent supporter of the Boca Juniors team of Buenos Aires. In 1982, he had the privilege of joining a semi-pro soccer team in Córdoba, Argentina. Here, he excelled in the position of goalie.

In 1984, Ricardo was accepted into the Physical Education program at the University of Córdoba. Four years later, he graduated and started work as a Physical Education teacher in Carlos Paz.

In 1987, Ricardo was hired by Concordia College to work in their Spanish language immersion camps for the Summer. He returned to the U.S. in 1989 and accepted the position of Spanish Language Native Assistant at Concordia College in Moorhead MN. It is here that he met his future wife, Sandy.

On July 14th, 1991, Ricardo and Sandy were married in Merrill, WI. They moved to Mankato, MN. Ricardo worked as a Teaching Assistant at Mankato State University while completing his Master's Degree. In 1993, he was hired to teach Spanish at Centennial Senior High School in Circle Pines, MN. He was employed at Centennial until his retirement in 2020.

Ricardo coached girls soccer at Centennial High School. In 2003, his varsity team was the North Suburban Conference Champions. He also coached long and triple jump for the Centennial Girls and Boys Track teams. Even after Ricardo no longer coached, the connection to sports remained. He became certified and refereed many Centennial home soccer games. He also enjoyed working as an event judge at Centennial's home track meets.

Ricardo made his career at Centennial School District. He taught Spanish for 27 years, on occasion to two generations of the same family. He was a regular attendee of many extracurricular events: athletic competitions, theater and music performances, academic competitions, cultural activities etc. To sum it up, if one of his students was involved, Señor attended the event.

In his retirement, Ricardo worked as a substitute Teacher and Paraprofessional at Centennial Elementary and High School. He was a lifeguard at The Rookery in Lino Lakes. This was his last lifeguard job on a long list of pools and beaches going back to the 1980s.

Besides work, Ricardo indulged in many pastimes: swimming, traveling, Formula One Racing, golfing, trail biking, cooking etc. And if we go even further back: triathloning, motorcycling, windsurfing and his beloved FÚTBOL! Sometimes spectating, but mostly participating, Ricardo loved being active.

Ricardo is preceded in death by his father, Rubén Giorgis; mother, Elba Moretto; and brother, Carlos Giorgis. 

He is survived by his spouse Sandra Giorgis. Other surviving family members include: nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles and in-laws. He had an ever-present and loving network of family and friends across two continents.

Memorial service 5 PM Friday, September 19 at Mueller-Bies Funeral Home - Lino Lakes, 7050 Lake Dr., Lino Lakes, MN 55014. Visitation from 4 - 5 PM Friday.