Al Ghiglieri passed away at home with family attending on July 18, 2021. He was 96.
Al was born in Oakland, CA to Lloyd and Lucia (née Cianciarulo) Ghiglieri on April 26, 1925.
He graduated with a Music degree from San Francisco State in 1950.
Al met his one and only love Virginia Baatz, after their mothers, over a bridge table, arranged the couple’s first date. They were happily married for 73 years and had nine children.
They moved to Healdsburg in 1957 when Al began teaching at Healdsburg Junior High where, over a span of 30 years, he taught music, math and was the school counselor.
Music and camping were Al’s greatest pleasures and he shared both activities with his children. Music was always in the house, mostly from him whistling a tune from Tchaikovsky, his favorite composer. He continued his family’s childhood tradition of vacations in Lake Tahoe, enjoying annual summer camping trips with his children there and throughout the Sierras.
Al is preceded in death by his brother, Lloyd and sister, Maria. He is survived and will be sorely missed by his wife Virginia and his children, David Ghiglieri (Donna), Maria Tinney (Mike), Andy Ghiglieri (Leslie), Steve Ghiglieri (Gayle), Tom Ghiglieri (Julia), Mark Ghiglieri (Guillermo Rincon), Claudia Row (Rick), Laura Ambrosi (Tom), Paul Ghiglieri (Marna), and 25 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.”
Special thanks to St. Joseph Providence Hospice care team.
The funeral mass will be at St. John the Baptist Church in Healdsburg on Friday, July 23 at 11:00 am followed by a private interment at Olive Hill Cemetery, Geyserville.
