Gino L. Bruni

Gino L. Bruni 68, of Shenandoah, passed away March 25 after a short battle with aggressive lung cancer at the home of his daughter in Middle River, Md., surrounded by his beloved family. He was a devoted husband, loving father and G-Pa extraordinaire.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Armond Sr. and Josephine Catrone Bruni, as well as a sister, Donna Rose Bruni, and his older brother, Armond Bruni Jr.

Gino started working at a young age. His first job was folding pizza boxes at the age of 5 for a penny a piece for his father, who owned Armondo's Pizzeria. He progressed to assistant delivery person, delivery driver and then to working alongside his father making pizza.

During high school, he was a barber apprentice to Dominick (Stezo) Sposito. After graduation, he attended Lehigh Barber College while also working as a gas station attendant. Gino began his barbering career in Allentown and then moved back to Shenandoah to help his father run the pizza shop. When his father retired in 1978, Gino opened his own barber business at his residence.

Gino earned a Bachelor's of Science in environmental science and became a licensed water and wastewater treatment plant operator. He also performed contract work for the state which included participating in an outreach program and being a class instructor and exam proctor for water treatment certification. All the while, he continued to barber part time.

Gino retired at 65 but still continued to work part time as a barber and wastewater treatment plant operator for MAB Environmental and Miller Brothers. He also worked as a funeral attendant at Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home.

Gino was a good man who loved God and enjoyed volunteering as a lector and altar server at church. He loved his family and did his very best at every job he held. Of all the jobs Gino held, his favorite was helping to care for his granddaughter, Nika, especially walking her to and from school.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Mary Ann Galezniak Bruni; two daughters, Gina, wife of John Lambros, Middle River, Md., and Nicole, wife of Heath Knarr, Frackville. His grandchildren, Gabriel, son of Gina and John, and Nika, daughter of Nicole and Heath, were the light of his life. He is also survived by his younger brother, Bernard Bruni, who is married to Felicia (DiCasimiro), New Boston, as well as nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.

He is sadly missed.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday from Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, 132 S. Jardin St., Shenandoah. A Mass of Christian Burial will then be celebrated at 11 a.m. in St. Casimir's Church, the sacred worship site of Divine Mercy Parish. Monsignor Ronald C. Bocian, pastor, will officiate. Interment will follow in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Shenandoah Heights. A visitation will be held from 8 until 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to be made to Divine Mercy Parish Memorial Fund or the Father Walter J. Ciszek Chapel Memorial Fund both c/o 108 W. Cherry St., Shenandoah, PA 17976, or both will be available at the funeral home. Walukiewicz-Oravitz Fell Funeral Home, Shenandoah, is in charge of the arrangements. To leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.woffuneralhome.com.

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