Giancola, Anthony J.
Anthony James “Bill” Giancola, 96, of Meriden, Connecticut, and Spring Hill, Florida, passed away peacefully at home in the early hours of Saturday, December 23, 2023. Born in Meriden, Connecticut, on April 16, 1927, he was the son of the late James and Julia (Morell) Giancola and the loving husband of Barbara P. Giancola.
Bill, as almost everyone knew him, attended Meriden schools, graduating from Meriden High School in 1945 and then serving in the U.S. Army. He returned to Meriden and worked as a butcher and carpenter before joining his brother Albert, the two running Alnic’s Variety Store together for many decades. Later, Bill worked as a custodian for the Meriden Board of Education, retiring in 1994.
His interests were many and varied: music (Frank Sinatra and so much more); cooking and baking (his New York cheesecake in particular is legendary); watching old movies, comedy acts, and boxing matches (Joe Louis was his hero) on tv; photography (he never went anywhere without some sort of camera); reading (he loved a good biography); and birds (any bird would do - they delighted him). His favorite pastime, however, was spending time with his family and friends, regaling all of us with stories and jokes over coffee or tea and something sweet he’d whipped up. He was self-taught and so knowledgeable that none of us could scoop him; he was generous with his time and with his love, caring more for others than for himself; he was hard-working - even in retirement - and he whistled while he worked. In fact, he whistled all the time. And his smile lit up the room. A lifelong resident of Meriden, he split his time for the last thirty or so years between Connecticut and Florida until his permanent retirement in Florida several years ago. His was a rich and full life, and we were lucky to have had him for so long.
He is survived by his loving family: his beloved wife, Barbara, and children: daughter, Lisa Ann Giancola, and son, Anthony J. Giancola, Jr., both of Meriden; son Mark Giancola and daughter-in-law Sharon (Santoni) of Durham, Connecticut; grandson, William Giancola; and granddaughter, Julia Giancola. He is also survived by a niece, Lynn (Mesite) Ives and husband Jeffrey, and three nephews, Thomas Mesite and wife Nikki; John Destefano and wife Joanne; and Steven Destefano and wife Susan; and by his step-children: Cameron Shaw and wife Rhonda; Kenneth Shaw and wife Rita; Arthur Arndt, whose attentive round-the-clock care of Bill deserves a special thank you; and Denise Roebuck; several step-grandchildren; and many dear friends. We are all filled with love for him, and we will miss him dearly. There was no one like him; he was one of a kind. He was predeceased by his beloved first wife of 40 years, Anna Benegasi Giancola; his brother, Albert A. Giancola; and his sister, Esther Giancola Petrucelli. Family and friends may call at the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main Street, Meriden, CT on Friday, January 5th, 2024 from 4 - 8 p.m., and on Saturday, January 6th, from 9 - 9:45 a.m., with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 109 Goodwill Avenue, Meriden, CT. Burial, with military honors, will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery.
The family would like to thank HPH Hospice of Hernando County, Florida, for their care, compassion, and kindness. Should friends desire, donations in Bill’s memory may be made to the National MS Society, P.O. Box #91891, Washington, D.C. 20090-1891, or a charity of their choice. For online condolences please visit jferryfh.com.
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