Peter Giorgi

GIORGI, Peter, Born December 25, 1929 in France, Peter Giorgi came to the U.S. at a young age. He grew up in Mansfield, PA, and always worked several jobs at once to support his family. After volunteering in the Navy and obtaning his College degrees (including a Masters in Education) he moved to Tucson, Arizona, where he purchased the house that his dear mother, Donal Giorgi, was able to live in for decades, and where he lived once he retired. While teaching in France, he met his esteemed wife Detelina Giorgi, a lawyer, and they had their two wonderful children, Jean-Pierre and Gisele. They then resided in Vicenza, Italy, for over thirty years, where he was a deeply beloved teacher at Vicenza American High School. He taught every subject and grade (including college) at least once, and ran international summer programs, but he mainly focused on a program of career counseling, COWEX, which he pioneered and developed. He traveled widely, was very active in the community, and was an extraordinarily innovative, effective and dedicated educator. He was a generous, kind person who was a loyal friend and a great raccounteur. He never stopped educating, creating, and inspiring. His heart was always open to a myriad of grateful students, colleagues, friends, and family. He was brilliant and endlessly interested in people, history, geography, sports, jeopardy, good food, and the enjoyment of life. He genuinely lived out his values of justice, compassion, respect for all, and change through education. He was strong and adaptable in the face of debilitating illness. He was a very devoted son, husband, father, teacher, and friend. He will be greatly missed by the many people who cherished him, including his wife, Detelina; children, Jean-Pierre, an artist, and Gisele, a biology professor and researcher; his brother, Colin and wife, Lynn and their children, Roger and Carol, and Don's wife, Judy and their children, Tim and Shannon. A Memorial Service will be held Monday, September 21, 2009 at MARTINEZ FUNERAL CHAPELS at 4:00 p.m. Please go to www.petergiorgi.org to leave remembrances and for more information about scholarships in his name. Arrangements entrusted to MARTINEZ FUNERAL CHAPELS, 2580 S. 6th Ave., Tucson, AZ.