…Textron-AVCO Engineer; 86
BILLERICA - Mr. Emil John Giara Jr., a retired defense industry Electrical Engineer, died peacefully Wednesday evening, January 10, at Woodbriar Health Center in Wilmington. He was the beloved husband of Gussie M. (Maniscalco) Giara, with whom he had celebrated a fifty-fifth wedding anniversary this past April 28th.
He was born in Loyall, Kentucky in December 1931, one of three children of the late Emil J. Sr., and Lillian (Guinn) Giara, and raised in Kentucky and Alabama. He graduated from Auburn with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering, enlisted into the U.S. Air Force at the outbreak of the Korean War, and was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sergeant in July 1955. He earned the United Nations, Korean Service, National Defense and Good Conduct Medals during his enlistment.
He worked at AVCO-Textron in Wilmington from 1966 until retirement in 1990. He and Gussie lived in California before moving to Billerica in 1967.
Besides his beloved wife, he leaves a son, Robert E. Giara and his wife Joselin of Roslindale; a daughter, Debbie A. Rawson and her husband Eric of Lewisburg, PA; six grandchildren, Jeffrey, Jonathan, and Elisha Giara, Christopher, Matthew and Erica Rawson; two sisters, Wilma Jean White and her husband Roy of FL, and Geraldine Vance of Alabama.
Memorial visiting hours Saturday, JANUARY 20, from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. followed by a Memorial Prayer Service at 2:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000-Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142 will be appreciated. visit www.stjude.org see: www.tewksburyfuneralhome.com