Mr. Joseph Wayne Giardina: Obituary

Mr. Joseph Wayne Giardina, 35, of New Ulm, Minn., and formerly of Ellijay, died and went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, following a car accident. He was known by his closest friends and loved ones as Joey, or simply Joe.

Joey graduated Gilmer High School in 2000 and attended Pickens Tech, earning a degree in industrial engineering while working at Gold Kist. He traveled to Texas and became a maintenance supervisor, then transferred to another poultry plant and became maintenance superintendent. He then transferred to Virginia (where he met his wife Sandra) and then moved one last time to take a management position in an egg processing plant in Gaylord, Minn., for Michael Foods.

Just days before his passing, Joey received his diploma for an associate of applied science degree in business management and accounting, graduating summa cum laude from Independence University.

After excelling in his career and having some traveling adventures that took him from Georgia to Texas and then to Virginia, he met Sandra and found what he was looking for his whole life. She was strong, beautiful, full of life and loved the Lord, he told his family. Joey and Sandra married, and Ricardo, Claudia and her baby Omilio, and Robert became his family.

Joey enjoyed calling his family and bragging on the amazing things Robert was doing and accomplishing, just like any father would brag on their son. The conversations never ended without Joe gushing over his amazing wife and the wonderful life, full of love and happiness, they were experiencing together.

Joey and Sandra were active in their church community and participated in ministry that included working with children. The goals in life he realized included finding the love of his life, climbing the ranks to management and finishing his college degree. Joey loved to fish and did that on his last day on earth.

He is preceded in death by his father, Michael Denmark; paternal grandfather, Thomas Wayne Denmark; and maternal grandmother, Shelly Hancock.

Other survivors include; mother, Tamara (Bo) Walker of Brevard, N.C.; stepfather, Mark (Teresa) Millican; grandfather, Jerry Hancock, of Blue Ridge; sisters, Shayna (Simon) Lloyd, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Amy (Devin) Wright, of Meridianville, Ala.; nieces, Mackenzie, Ashley, Autumn and Annabeth; nephews, Declan, Reece, Abel, Wyatt and Tobias; uncle, Jim (Alice) Burger of Blue Ridge.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Yukon Cemetery. Visitation is Tuesday evening from 5 until 8pm at Bernhardt Funeral Home, who is in charge of arrangements.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Gilmer County, 1559 S. Main St. Suite D Ellijay,Ga.30540.