Giles Sabin Gianelloni was the oldest living Gianelloni until his passing on April 22, 2012. He lived a remarkable life and enjoyed 69 years married to his childhood sweetheart, Winnifred, who survives him along with his two daughters and their husbands (Meg and Roger McDonough of Sarasota; Marcelle Gianelloni and CJ Pressma of Louisville). He was born on the family's homestead at Longwood Plantation in East Baton Rouge Parish, La., and schooled at Louisiana State University. Joined the U.S. Navy (1939) as an Aviation Cadet and was commissioned Ensign and Naval Aviator February (1942). Served as ferry pilot with VRF-1, Naval Air Station, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y. Discharged form the Navy (1946) with the rank of Lt. Cmdr. Graduated University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (1946). Pilot with Pan American Airways assigned to AVIANCA, Bogota, Colombia.
He was a proud and kind man who enjoyed the camaraderie of so many friends wherever he went. The Gianelloni family was involved in the Punta Alegre Sugar Company in Cuba since 1910 until the Castro communist government nationalized the company in 1960. Giles, an avid private pilot, maintained a rigorous schedule flying throughout the island to oversee the 26 sugar mills and kept life-long friendships with the many workers affiliated with the company. Churches were built for the workers and the family name held a place of prominence with the company.
The family relocated to Coral Gables, Fla. with an eventual move to New York City where Giles became an executive with The National Sugar Refining Company working directly with Horace Havemeyer until his retirement in 1968. The family moved to their weekend retreat at Canal Farm in Bucks County where Giles continued his great passion for soaring and flying. Years later Giles and Winnifred moved to Easton, Md. on the Chesapeake and became seasoned cruisers on their Grand Banks heading down to Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo) for the winters. They eventually relocated to ORC and built a new home.
Following Hurricane Andrew (August 1992), Giles and Winnifred left Ocean Reef and relocated to Sarasota. They found the more casual lifestyle in Sarasota reminded them of their days in Havana and were glad to find many of their friends from Cuba had also moved to the area. Giles published a manuscript he inherited from one of his colleagues at the renowned American Club in downtown Havana. The book, We Remember Cuba, continues to be sold through Amazon.com. Giles donated cases of the book for fundraising purposes to Los Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue) overseen by his long-time friend, Jose Basulto, who received his first flying lessons at 15 from Giles.
Giles and Winnifred knew each other as young children on their fathers' respective sugar plantations in Cuba where they were the company managers. Giles and Winnifred enjoyed sailing their Star class sailboat in many regattas and placing for several years. Giles was a member of the Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club; The Tred Avon Yacht Club (Oxford, Md.), Fisher Island Club (Fisher Island, Fla.), Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Angler's Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Palm Aire Country Club (Sarasota, Fla.), and Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club (Bradenton, Fla.). He held a special place for The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels, Md.) where he was an active Board Member for many years and had several boats commissioned at the museum.
Giles and Winnifred traveled extensively, collecting memorabilia from their trips and sending off many "messages in a bottle" (some found half way around the world years later). He was a loyal friend to so many and was an enthusiastic conversationalist. He was an avid reader and enjoyed flying, ham radio operations, scuba diving, and talking politics. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. At the request of the family, there will be no services. His cremains will be dispersed over the Gulf of Mexico with hopes that they may reach his beloved Cuba.
Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
Specifically: Gulf of Mexico
He was a proud and kind man who enjoyed the camaraderie of so many friends wherever he went. The Gianelloni family was involved in the Punta Alegre Sugar Company in Cuba since 1910 until the Castro communist government nationalized the company in 1960. Giles, an avid private pilot, maintained a rigorous schedule flying throughout the island to oversee the 26 sugar mills and kept life-long friendships with the many workers affiliated with the company. Churches were built for the workers and the family name held a place of prominence with the company.
The family relocated to Coral Gables, Fla. with an eventual move to New York City where Giles became an executive with The National Sugar Refining Company working directly with Horace Havemeyer until his retirement in 1968. The family moved to their weekend retreat at Canal Farm in Bucks County where Giles continued his great passion for soaring and flying. Years later Giles and Winnifred moved to Easton, Md. on the Chesapeake and became seasoned cruisers on their Grand Banks heading down to Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo) for the winters. They eventually relocated to ORC and built a new home.
Following Hurricane Andrew (August 1992), Giles and Winnifred left Ocean Reef and relocated to Sarasota. They found the more casual lifestyle in Sarasota reminded them of their days in Havana and were glad to find many of their friends from Cuba had also moved to the area. Giles published a manuscript he inherited from one of his colleagues at the renowned American Club in downtown Havana. The book, We Remember Cuba, continues to be sold through Amazon.com. Giles donated cases of the book for fundraising purposes to Los Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue) overseen by his long-time friend, Jose Basulto, who received his first flying lessons at 15 from Giles.
Giles and Winnifred knew each other as young children on their fathers' respective sugar plantations in Cuba where they were the company managers. Giles and Winnifred enjoyed sailing their Star class sailboat in many regattas and placing for several years. Giles was a member of the Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club; The Tred Avon Yacht Club (Oxford, Md.), Fisher Island Club (Fisher Island, Fla.), Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Angler's Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Palm Aire Country Club (Sarasota, Fla.), and Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club (Bradenton, Fla.). He held a special place for The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels, Md.) where he was an active Board Member for many years and had several boats commissioned at the museum.
Giles and Winnifred traveled extensively, collecting memorabilia from their trips and sending off many "messages in a bottle" (some found half way around the world years later). He was a loyal friend to so many and was an enthusiastic conversationalist. He was an avid reader and enjoyed flying, ham radio operations, scuba diving, and talking politics. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. At the request of the family, there will be no services. His cremains will be dispersed over the Gulf of Mexico with hopes that they may reach his beloved Cuba.
Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
Specifically: Gulf of Mexico
Giles Sabin Gianelloni was the oldest living Gianelloni until his passing on April 22, 2012. He lived a remarkable life and enjoyed 69 years married to his childhood sweetheart, Winnifred, who survives him along with his two daughters and their husbands (Meg and Roger McDonough of Sarasota; Marcelle Gianelloni and CJ Pressma of Louisville). He was born on the family's homestead at Longwood Plantation in East Baton Rouge Parish, La., and schooled at Louisiana State University. Joined the U.S. Navy (1939) as an Aviation Cadet and was commissioned Ensign and Naval Aviator February (1942). Served as ferry pilot with VRF-1, Naval Air Station, Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, N.Y. Discharged form the Navy (1946) with the rank of Lt. Cmdr. Graduated University of Miami, Coral Gables, Fla. (1946). Pilot with Pan American Airways assigned to AVIANCA, Bogota, Colombia.
He was a proud and kind man who enjoyed the camaraderie of so many friends wherever he went. The Gianelloni family was involved in the Punta Alegre Sugar Company in Cuba since 1910 until the Castro communist government nationalized the company in 1960. Giles, an avid private pilot, maintained a rigorous schedule flying throughout the island to oversee the 26 sugar mills and kept life-long friendships with the many workers affiliated with the company. Churches were built for the workers and the family name held a place of prominence with the company.
The family relocated to Coral Gables, Fla. with an eventual move to New York City where Giles became an executive with The National Sugar Refining Company working directly with Horace Havemeyer until his retirement in 1968. The family moved to their weekend retreat at Canal Farm in Bucks County where Giles continued his great passion for soaring and flying. Years later Giles and Winnifred moved to Easton, Md. on the Chesapeake and became seasoned cruisers on their Grand Banks heading down to Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo) for the winters. They eventually relocated to ORC and built a new home.
Following Hurricane Andrew (August 1992), Giles and Winnifred left Ocean Reef and relocated to Sarasota. They found the more casual lifestyle in Sarasota reminded them of their days in Havana and were glad to find many of their friends from Cuba had also moved to the area. Giles published a manuscript he inherited from one of his colleagues at the renowned American Club in downtown Havana. The book, We Remember Cuba, continues to be sold through Amazon.com. Giles donated cases of the book for fundraising purposes to Los Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue) overseen by his long-time friend, Jose Basulto, who received his first flying lessons at 15 from Giles.
Giles and Winnifred knew each other as young children on their fathers' respective sugar plantations in Cuba where they were the company managers. Giles and Winnifred enjoyed sailing their Star class sailboat in many regattas and placing for several years. Giles was a member of the Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club; The Tred Avon Yacht Club (Oxford, Md.), Fisher Island Club (Fisher Island, Fla.), Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Angler's Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Palm Aire Country Club (Sarasota, Fla.), and Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club (Bradenton, Fla.). He held a special place for The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels, Md.) where he was an active Board Member for many years and had several boats commissioned at the museum.
Giles and Winnifred traveled extensively, collecting memorabilia from their trips and sending off many "messages in a bottle" (some found half way around the world years later). He was a loyal friend to so many and was an enthusiastic conversationalist. He was an avid reader and enjoyed flying, ham radio operations, scuba diving, and talking politics. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. At the request of the family, there will be no services. His cremains will be dispersed over the Gulf of Mexico with hopes that they may reach his beloved Cuba.
Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
Specifically: Gulf of Mexico
He was a proud and kind man who enjoyed the camaraderie of so many friends wherever he went. The Gianelloni family was involved in the Punta Alegre Sugar Company in Cuba since 1910 until the Castro communist government nationalized the company in 1960. Giles, an avid private pilot, maintained a rigorous schedule flying throughout the island to oversee the 26 sugar mills and kept life-long friendships with the many workers affiliated with the company. Churches were built for the workers and the family name held a place of prominence with the company.
The family relocated to Coral Gables, Fla. with an eventual move to New York City where Giles became an executive with The National Sugar Refining Company working directly with Horace Havemeyer until his retirement in 1968. The family moved to their weekend retreat at Canal Farm in Bucks County where Giles continued his great passion for soaring and flying. Years later Giles and Winnifred moved to Easton, Md. on the Chesapeake and became seasoned cruisers on their Grand Banks heading down to Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo) for the winters. They eventually relocated to ORC and built a new home.
Following Hurricane Andrew (August 1992), Giles and Winnifred left Ocean Reef and relocated to Sarasota. They found the more casual lifestyle in Sarasota reminded them of their days in Havana and were glad to find many of their friends from Cuba had also moved to the area. Giles published a manuscript he inherited from one of his colleagues at the renowned American Club in downtown Havana. The book, We Remember Cuba, continues to be sold through Amazon.com. Giles donated cases of the book for fundraising purposes to Los Hermanos al Rescate (Brothers to the Rescue) overseen by his long-time friend, Jose Basulto, who received his first flying lessons at 15 from Giles.
Giles and Winnifred knew each other as young children on their fathers' respective sugar plantations in Cuba where they were the company managers. Giles and Winnifred enjoyed sailing their Star class sailboat in many regattas and placing for several years. Giles was a member of the Havana Biltmore Yacht and Country Club; The Tred Avon Yacht Club (Oxford, Md.), Fisher Island Club (Fisher Island, Fla.), Ocean Reef Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Angler's Club (Key Largo, Fla.), Palm Aire Country Club (Sarasota, Fla.), and Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club (Bradenton, Fla.). He held a special place for The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michaels, Md.) where he was an active Board Member for many years and had several boats commissioned at the museum.
Giles and Winnifred traveled extensively, collecting memorabilia from their trips and sending off many "messages in a bottle" (some found half way around the world years later). He was a loyal friend to so many and was an enthusiastic conversationalist. He was an avid reader and enjoyed flying, ham radio operations, scuba diving, and talking politics. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. At the request of the family, there will be no services. His cremains will be dispersed over the Gulf of Mexico with hopes that they may reach his beloved Cuba.
Burial:
Cremated, Ashes scattered at sea.
Specifically: Gulf of Mexico
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