Robert S. Giannavola

Spencerport: Passed away on October 4, 2023, in Rochester, NY. Robert is predeceased by his wife, Florence Giannavola; parents August & Mary Giannavola. He is survived by his children, Amie Giannavola, Robert Giannavola & Richard (Sabrina) Giannavola; grandchildren, Jayce Giannavola, Eva Martina, Mia Martina & Jaden Ercolino; sister, Susan (Dan) Ralleo; several nieces, nephews, cousins & dear friends.

Bob was a US Army veteran and retired as Batallion Chief after serving 31 years with the City of Rochester Fire Department. He was a fun-loving, charismatic and humorous person that was a father figure to many people. His hobbies included fishing, golf and listening to music.

Bob's life story will be shared during his visitation, 4:00-8:00 pm on Thursday, October 12th at the funeral home, 1411 Vintage Lane. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10:00 on Friday, October 13th at St. John the Evangelist Church, 55 Martha St. in Spencerport. Interment in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made in Robert's name to the St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105.



Remembering Bob

Robert S. "Bob" Giannavola was born on January 6, 1946 in Rochester, NY. He was welcomed into life by parents, August & Mary Giannavola, who owned and operated August Packing Co., a sausage packing plant on Jay Street. Bob, along with his siblings, Gus and Susan, grew up as part of the Mount Carmel Church and Irondequoit High School communities.

After completing school, Bob spent time in the Army Reserves and began his exemplary 31 year career with the Rochester City Fire Department. There, he met lifelong friends, Rich Lombardo, Sam Alicata and Ron Bianchi. Working his way up to Battalion Chief, Bob was a hero not just on the job, but to his family and friends who held deep respect for and pride in his accomplishments. He was well respected by his peers and is remembered to this day for his commanding presence in the RCFD. He was easy to talk to, a great listener, an even better problem solver, and always followed up with you to see how you were doing.

Bob married the love of his life, Florence Furino Giannavola, on September 4, 1967. Together, they built a family full of love and laughter. Their children, Robert, Amie, and Richard, remember these childhood years fondly as the best times of their lives. Family was the priority. The Giannavola home always had company visiting, the door open, dinner to share, and delectable baked goods made by Florence for all to enjoy. Each year, the family made even more memories on their annual trip to the Adirondacks and Lake George - rafting, fishing, having campfires, and telling ghost stories! Bob was a very involved father, grandfather, and family man. It was common to find him raking leaves in the backyard so the kids from the neighborhood could jump in them, making bike trails in the woods, and building igloos in the backyard in the wintertime. He had a passion for tending to his yard and caring for the many Koi fish in the fishpond that he built for Florence.

In his free time, Bob enjoyed golfing, fishing, and driving his 1934 Roadster (which he contested and won quite a few shows for). In his early 20's, he owned and raced his 1965 Corvette at Spencer Speedway. He had a deep love for music, songwriting, playing the drums, the harmonica, and singing. Bob dreamed up characters such as Metal Man, and he was known to many as the Shadowman, which was a song & video written and produced by Bob and his band, Code 5. He loved blues, 60's & 70's rock, Billy Joel, and Bob Segar. He was an avid baseball and football fan, too. Bob's favorite teams were the NY Yankees and NY Giants - both of which he could be heard yelling at in frustration while watching the TV.

Bob had charisma that was larger than life. He had tenacity that drew you in and made you feel wanted. It created an eagerness to live life the way he did -- fearlessly, with perseverance, hard work, honesty, integrity, love, laughter and fun. Bob lived life on his own terms, didn't take himself too seriously, and made you rethink how well you were living your own life. He was a natural born leader, entertainer, and storyteller who thrived as the life of the party and could often be found singing and socializing at his favorite bar, McColley's. Even as his life drew to a close, Bob remained steadfast, saying, "They can't take my sense of humor; I'll have that til the end."

The legacy that Bob leaves is difficult to encapsulate in words. He touched the lives of so many people from so many different walks of life and met them with acceptance - regardless of their gender, race, religion, or social status. He often helped and befriended strangers who were coping with hard times, greeting them with an open heart and a smile, seeing it as an opportunity to spread love and laughter. If you knew Bob, he surely left a mark on your heart and a lasting smile on your face. Put simply, he always tried to leave people better than he found them.