Obituary of Marjorie Ann Giardini-Hirst

Marjorie A. Giardini-Hirst Olean, NY Marjorie A. Giardini-Hirst, 77, of 202 Coleman St., passed away Monday (January 23, 2023) at the Olean General Hospital after a lengthy illness. Born April 30, 1945 in Allegany, she was one of 9 children born to John F. and Marion Thomas Giardini. On July 2, 1993 in New Braunfels, TX, she married John Hirst who survives. Marjorie attended Allegany Central School and then began working for the former AVX Corp. in Olean. She proved herself to be a dedicated, hard-working woman and believed in giving a day’s work for a day’s pay. She moved to Arizona where she worked in the diamond industry for Harry Winston fine jewelry. She ventured into the construction business as a laborer and assisted with the building of a Coors Beer plant in Colorado. While there, she worked as a construction pipefitter, and when back in New Braunfels, TX she worked for the city on its construction crew. She then worked for the Lafarge Co. in their cement plant, leaving there as a lab technician prior to retiring to Olean. Not one to slow down, she worked for the Olean Walmart until her health required her to retire. She was well-known by her nickname “Gram-Cracker” by all her adoring grandchildren and great grandchildren. The name fitted her get-up-and-go spirit which she engrained in her 2 daughter’s out-look on life as well. Family get-togethers of any kind delighted her. She loved, and was deeply loved, by all her family, and made friends in an instant because of her special ways and sparkling eyes. Even her recent health care workers easily formed a bond with her. She enjoyed researching her family history, and she and her husband John made several trips to family cemeteries outside the area. From that research and discovery, she put together scrapbooks of pictures, in addition to family scrapbooks of all kinds. Anyone who mentioned the game of bingo was a friend of hers and playing cards and going to the casino was another of her favorite activities. She leaves behind her husband John; 4 children, Lori (Dale) Chapman of Abingdon, MD and Kim Bacher of Denton, TX, Bryce Hirst of Florida, and Brian (Jen) Hirst of Ponta Verde, FL; 8 grandchildren Jessica, Uvaldo, Jose, Amanda, Amber, and triplets Ava, Lila, and Kiera; 7 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; 1 sister Sharon (Roger) Vincent of Houston, TX, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, and her siblings, including 5 brothers Victor Giardini, Thomas Giardini, Ronald Giardini, Michael Giardini and Gerald Giardini, an infant sister Linda Sue Giardini, and a sister Anita Giardini. The family will receive friends for a visitation and viewing on Friday (January 27, 2023) from 3-5pm at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Rd., Olean. A service in remembrance of Marjorie will begin at 3pm in the funeral home.