Carmine D. “Toot” Giordano, 102, a lifelong resident of Beacon and the city’s last surviving World War II veteran, died Dec. 10.
He was born July 14, 1921, in Beacon, the son of Vincenzo and Madelaina (Pietragallo) Giordano. On Aug. 25, 1942, he married Audrey Coons, who died in 2004.
Carmine served with the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. After being honorably discharged in 1945, he worked as a hairdresser and owned Carl’s Beauty Salon in Newburgh before retiring.
He was a parishioner of St. Joachim-St. John the Evangelist, a longtime member of the Southern Dutchess Country Club, a life member of the Knights of Columbus, Trinity Council 445 and a former member of the Beacon Elks Lodge 1493.
Toote shared his memories of growing up in Beacon and talked about his experiences during World War II in a recent interview with The Current.
He is survived by his children, Michele Zane (Brian), Carla Robinson (John), Michael Giordano (Christine), Gina Morgan and Danielle Haran (Brian), along with 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
His daughter, Karen Giordano, died in 1966; and his siblings, Dominic, Vito, Bartolomeo, Michael, Joseph, Tony, Louis Giordano, Florence Bingert and Kate LaValle died before him.
Family and friends will gather on Wednesday (Dec. 20) from 3 to 7 p.m. at Riverview Funeral Home by Halvey, 2 Beekman St. in Beacon. Members of the Knights of Columbus will conduct a service at 6 p.m. at the funeral home.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday (Dec. 21) at 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 35 Willow St., in Beacon. Interment with military honors will be held on Friday at 10 a.m. at St. Joachim Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Church of St. Joachim-St. John the Evangelist Church (stjoachim-stjohn.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).
