Clelia A. Ginay, 101, passed away May 22, 2022, in Schererville, Indiana. She was born Clelia Baldassari, daughter of Giuseppe Bladassari and Henrietta Barilari, in New York City on April 14, 1921. Her mother passed away when Clelia was four years of age. She earned her Registered Nurse certification at Christ Hospital in Jersey City, New Jersey, where she lived with her father and brother. She joined the Navy as a nurse, shortly after the start of World War Two. While working in a Naval Hospital on Long Island, she treated a patient, John J. Ginay, a Naval officer, whom she married while they were both in the Navy. After the war, they moved to East Chicago, Indiana, where she worked as an RN at Saint Catherine’s Hospital, and later at the Hammond Clinic. She specialized in emergency room and intensive care nursing, as well as care of burn patients. She also did private duty nursing. Her husband, John, taught math and science, as well as doing some coaching, at East Chicago Roosevelt High School, and also served as Vice Principal at East Chicago Washington High School. In addition, he did guidance work for the school
system. Upon his retirement, they wintered in Arizona, then finally settling in Schererville, Indiana. John passed away December 7, 2004. Although legally blind in her seventies, mom kept up with current events, loved to weave on her loom, listen to books, and to talk about her days as an RN. She was highly spirited , loved lasagna, and never gained an ounce, She is survived by son John C. Ginay and daughter-in-law Rebecca J Norman, residing in Chicago, and son Thomas M Ginay, residing in Muncie, Indiana, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Services will be private.
Donations may be made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital, at
stjude.org or by phone at 800 805 5856
