Toni Smith Giamatti
February 19, 1937 ~ September 18, 2004
Toni Smith Giamatti, 67, of Hamden passed away Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004 at Yale New Haven Hospital. She was the wife of the late Angelo Bartlett ''''Bart'''' Giamatti former president of Yale University and Commissioner of Major League Baseball. She was born in Orange, NJ, Feb 19, 1937, daughter of Kathryn ''Kay'' Brown Smith of Summit, NJ, and the late Abraham E. Smith. She received a B.S. from Columbia University and taught English and writing at Hopkins School in New Haven. Besides her mother, she is survived by her three children, Marcus Giamatti of Los Angeles, CA, daughter, Elena Giamatti Rossman and her husband, Paul of NY and a son, Paul Giamatti and his wife, Elizabeth of Brooklyn, NY, a sister, Sandra Hannon of Madison, NJ. Also survived by a grandson, Samuel Giamatti of Brooklyn, NY. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Memorial contributions made be made to CT Humane Society, 788 Amity Rd., Bethany, CT 06525. Arrangements under the direction of BEECHER & BENNETT, 2300 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT.
Dear Elena, I am sorry to hear of your mother\’s passing. Of the little I know of her, she truly was a remarkable woman and an inspiration to many. I want you to know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your brothers at this time. I pray the God of all peace and comfort will be with all of you. Take care El, and God bless you. Dari Gagliardi O\’Brien
Dear Elena, Marcus, and Paul, I was extemely sad to hear of your mom\’s passing. I knew her for a long time through our connection at Hopkins and thought the world of her. She and I often shared a humorously skeptical view of the world, which I have missed very much. I remember fondly the last time I saw you together with her at her retirement party (minus Marcus), and I\’ll hold on to that image of you all looking so happy at that wonderful event. I hope that you will be back this way sometime as I would love to see you again. Fondly, Dana Blanchard
Dear Marcus, Elena and Paul, Please accept our deepest sympathy on the loss of your beloved mother. She was one of the most complex, fascinating, sensitive and caring individuals I have ever known. Brilliant, bold and always challenging, she lit up the Hopkins campus for students and faculty alike. She had a true gift for drawing out the very best from her students, especially when they had self doubts or inhibitions. She dazzled, engaged and motivated them to continually dig deeper; my children will never forget her exuberance and encouragement. We are profoundly grateful to have known her. The Halsey Family
Dear Marcus, Elena and Paul, We are so sorry to hear of your dear mom\’s death. You were her pride and joy! Years ago she talked of the beautiful scarf Elena had made for her with the wonderful yarn she found in New York. There was always the news of her .actor. sons and she kept us up to date on what was in the making. Samuel has got to have been the treasure of the family along with the man and women you brought into her life. We remember her with fondness and will keep all of you in our thoughts and prayers. Fondly, John and Phil LaViola
Dear Marcus, Elena and Paul: My heartfelt condolences on the demise of your dear mother. Toni was a lively and classy lady. She will be missed here at Hopkins and throughout our community. Continue to prosper in your chosen careers. Nothing would please your mom more as she loved all of you dearly and spoke of you constantly. She was indeed proud of you! Know that you and she remain in my thoughts and in my prayers.
Dear Marcus, Paul & Elena I am so sorry to hear of your moms passing. I often think of all of you and & the fun we had as kids growing up. I\’ll always remember your mom & all the rides she provided.
Elena, Marcus and Paul, I was deeply saddened to learn of your mother\’s passing, she was a wonderful woman. I loved being in her class. She made me feel smart, for the first time. She had faith in my work even when I couldn\’t manage it. She instilled a confidence in me that has inspired me to believe in myself, not only in my writing but in my character. In a school that often forgot those that didn\’t perform, she picked me up and gave me the chance to realize how to succeed. She always looked for the best in everyone, even when it was hard to find. She didn\’t just teach me, she formed me. I am just sorry I never got the chance to tell her how much she meant to me. Sincerest Condolences, Rafe Halsey
I have always admired Toni so much. I would listen intently to what she had to say because her thoughts were so interesting. Toni brought out the best in her students with positive encouragement. I could sense how much she missed her husband, and how cherished her three childen were to her. I send my sincere sympathy to her family.
I only had a few encounters with Mrs. Giamatti but recall her warm and beautiful face. Having worked at the AYA and in development at Yale for years, I had a lot of contact with Bart (and a zillion laughs). I recall clearly so many nice references to his wife and the things they enjoyed together. My sympathy to the family. Catherine Spinelli
I was a student of Mrs. Giamatti\’s at Hopkins. She and I had a tough-love relationship because she pushed me to work harder than I ever wanted to work. By the end of her class, she wrote on the back of my exam booklet .You finally get it!. I still look back to her English class in 11th grade, after college and now in Graduate school, as the reason why I have any ability to express myself well in my writing. She was a magnificent lady–expressive, opinionated, passionate–and she will be missed by all of her students who had the fabulous opportunity to witness her in action.
I was finally able to reach my son Dario who had Toni as an English teacher in tenth grade(he\’s in the Peace Corps in Togo, West Africa). I wanted to share his condolences and my own. Toni had an enormous impact on Dario and encouraged his writing tremendously. It was important too, that she had that unique style; he gained confidence in a way that lacrosse, football and the other activities of high school boys could not give him. She seemed to live for her students and when I saw her many years later, she, of course, remembered him. What a meaningful life she led. Our sympathies are with you. Sincerely, Pat Borghesan
I was so saddened to learn of your mother\’s death. I wish there was something I could do or say to ease your loss. You are in my thoughts, Respectfully yours, Ede.
I will always remember Toni with fondness. She was a terrific colleague at Hopkins School and a talented teacher. My deepest condolences to her children, friends and family.
Mrs. Giamatti played an influential role in my academic career and in my development as a student. She was my teacher at Hopkins for 10th and 12th grade and was always supportive with an iron fist. If she did not believe I was working to my potential she would push me in the right direction, all the while I knew she was doing it because she cared. She was a brilliant woman who loved her students and we all loved her back. She will be missed by us all and I send my deepest sympathies to her family and friends.
My deepest condolences for your loss. I have fond memories of Mrs. G as my Hopkins English teacher, my advisor, and as your mother.
My thoughts are with Paul and his family. Mrs. Giamatti was surely proud of the accomplishments of her children who embody the best of her character and spirit.
On behalf of the entire Choate Rosemary Hall community, please let me express our deepest condolences to Marcus, Paul and Elena on the loss of their mother.
Our deepest sympathy on the passing of Toni Smith Giamatti. She and .Bart. were always very supportive of the activities and events associated with honoring the heritage of Christopher Columbus. Our prayers and thoughts are with you.
Sincere Condolences. Donna Miron Seman (MICU)
To Toni – loved and admired more than she ever could admit. May you rest in peace while your spirit continues to inspire and disturb those left behind. From a friend and colleague, and parent of three grown children who are grateful for the time they spent in Mrs. Giamatti\’s classroom.
Toni Giamatti was my advisor at Hopkins and taught me my junior and senior years. She was an excellent and very original teacher, but she affected me most through her support and friendship. She helped me develop as a student and as a person. She helped shape how I view myself and who I am. I will miss her. I send my sympathies to her family and others close to her.
Toni Giamatti was my best friend during a time that I needed someone like her desperately. She was one of the most supportive teachers I\’ve ever known, and one of the most gracious people. She made me feel as though, with her on my side, everything would always be OK. She is a part of who I am now.
We were both deeply saddened to learn of your Mother\’s passing. Marcus, please accept our most sincere condolences at this sad time.
Mrs. G. , I have fond memories of your creative writing class. You were one of the few teachers who really got me…I am forever grateful for your support! -Tony S.
Paul I remember playing with you while waiting for my sister Karen and your sister at CT Ballet. Or hanging out at your dads house when our moms had coffee. I’m so sorry about your mom she was awesome and so gracious. Sorry our paths never crossed again but I’m very proud of you and I know your parents always were too. Again I found out late and I’m sorry.
Joseph Pacelli Jr
I have been thinking of Toni so often, and how much I learned from her as a young English teacher. I remember her speaking out Hamlet’s .To Be. speech to the tenth grade as clearly as if it was five minutes ago. Cheers to her memory. . .Jill
Toni would be so proud of you Paul and I love your acting skills, now I went to high with mother Toni and your grandfather Abe was my coach, your mother was a beautiful young proper girl and we kind of liked each other but Abe was extremely strict. I was respectful but he use to call me pretty boy, there much more to my story but maybe you might enjoy contacting me, my name is Vincent Jiovino I’m 86 same age of your mother my cell number is 908-507-4097 if you like my email is vinjay4@hotmsil.com but I would prefer to talk to you and I
Think you really enjoy talking about your mother best to you Vincent