MELBOURNE, FL—Barbara Downs Ginocchio, 82, of Melbourne, Florida, and formerly White Stone, left us to be with the Lord on May 21, 2024. She died peacefully at a hospice hospital in Rockledge, Florida, after several years of serious illness that left her partially paralyzed.
Born June 29, 1941, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Barbara was one of twin girls, the only children of William G. Downs and Olga (Horlacher) Downs. She and her sister attended school in their nearby home town of Forty Fort. Barbara played field hockey and basketball for her school, played her dad’s saxophone in the band, and, with her twin sister, Gertrude, were two of the school’s cheerleaders.
Their paths parted at college with Gertrude attending Penn State and Barbara attending Bloomsburg State Teachers College (now Bloomsburg University). Barbara studied business, but after completing two years determined that college wasn’t for her. Wanting to see more of the world, she took a job with Eastern Airlines and became a stewardess based in Miami, Florida. She loved her work and the passengers.
She met her husband, Peter Ginocchio, in Miami where he worked as an engineer for Pan Am. Due to the rules of employment back in those days, Barbara had to begrudgingly quit her dream job once she married. Shortly after their wedding, the newlyweds moved to New York City when Pete was transferred by Pan Am…the first of many moves.
Peter and Barbara moved back again to Miami with Pan Am. They bought their first house with room for an expanding family. Then on to Wichita, Kansas, for seven years and the final addition to the family. Barbara enjoyed entertaining, tennis and bowling—even competing on a women’s team at some bowling tournaments in adjacent states.
Their next move was to Fairfield, Connecticut, for 10 years and Simsbury for another seven years where the family discovered snow skiing. Barbara enjoyed antique shopping while Pete and the kids were skiing. She preferred cross-country to downhill skiing. Another move, this time was to Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, for six years. Barbara was in shoppers’ heaven there. She also enjoyed trips to New York City for Broadway shows.
After retirement, Peter and Barbara built a home in White Stone, where they lived very actively and happily for another 21 years. She enjoyed European travel, cruising in the Caribbean and Pacific, tennis, entertaining, bridge and especially the grandchildren. After her illness started, she and Peter moved to Buena Vida Estates in Melbourne, to assist in her care.
Barbara was preceded in death by her parents; her twin sister, Trudy Piatt; and two children, Pamela Lynn and Lawrence John Ginocchio.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Peter Lawrence Ginocchio; three children, William Charles Ginocchio, Paul Louis Ginocchio and Lisa Lynn Chase; and seven grandchildren.
Barbara was a gracious and generous person, a loving, caring wife, mother and grandmother. She especially enjoyed her extended family and all the wonderful friends we were privileged to meet throughout an entire lifetime. And she got to see a good bit of the world!
Barbara will be interred in Virginia. Currie Funeral Home of Kilmarnock is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests a donation to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, New York 10306, or online at t2t.org.
