Peter D. Gianino was born in East Boston in 1932. He was raised in Medford, attended Boston College High School and then graduated from Boston College in 1953, earning a B.S. degree in physics, cum laude, plus a commission as an Army second lieutenant through the R.O.T.C. program. Because of the Korean War he was called to active duty shortly after graduation and was assigned to work in the Atomic Special Weapons Project in Albuquerque, NM.

After discharge from the military, Peter was employed as a research physicist for Sylvania Electric Products and the Ewen-Knight Corp. During this period he earned an M.S. degree in physics and mathematics from Northeastern University. In 1959 he was employed by the Air Force Research Laboratory at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford doing research in the areas of magnetics, lasers, fiber optics, optical pattern recognition and optical signal processing. This research produced many papers published in scientific journals or presented at scientific conferences, earning him many scientific achievement awards. This research culminated in he and a colleague winning the prestigious Marcus O'Day Memorial Award in 1973 for the best scientific research paper published in a scientific journal by an Air Force scientist at Hanscom. He worked at Hanscom for 42 years until his retirement in 2001.

For approximately 25 of these years Peter also taught physics and mathematics courses in the evening division of Northeastern University. During this time he was commissioned by the University to write a short introductory text on the topic of Differential Equations. Because it was well received, he later expanded this into a full-fledged textbook. He was also a member of the American Institute of Physics, American Association of Physics Teachers, the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society.

After retirement, Peter was a volunteer tutor in physics and math for students at Melrose High School. He also taught a Math Appreciation course to fourth-graders at the Lincoln Elementary School for eight years. Peter also volunteered recording physics and math textbooks on tape for blind and visually impaired students for nine years.

While attending Boston College, Peter met Marion Celani of Melrose. He married her a year after graduation. Upon his discharge from the military in 1955, the couple settled in Melrose where they raised their three children. Peter and Marion traveled throughout many parts of the world. They enjoyed ballroom and ethnic dancing (especially Greek and Armenian). Their marriage lasted 61 years, until Marion's death in 2015.

In 2016 Peter met his current wife, Ann McMahon of Peabody, and married her in 2017. Ann quickly adopted Melrose as her new hometown, while the couple continued their love of music (especially opera) and ballroom dancing.

Peter was an active member of St. Mary's Parish in Melrose, where he taught Christian Doctrine to children, served as president of the Holy Name Society and was a lector at the Sunday Masses. He took special pride in the fact that he was one of the original lectors and performed that ministry for over 35 years.

Peter was also an accomplished joke-teller, entertaining friends and relatives, and even being called upon at social and business events. He also incorporated this talent while acting as Master of Ceremonies in many of the variety shows put on by the Peabody Council on Aging.

Peter is survived by his wife, Ann and his three children, Dr. Stephen Gianino of Lexington, Peter M. Gianino of Melrose and Andrea Bryant of Whitefish, Montana. Peter is also survived by his five grandchildren, Robert and Dustin Bryant of Montana, Stephen and Mark Gianino of Lexington and Katherine Oliver of Malden.

Visiting Hours will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St., Melrose, on Monday, October 28, 2024, from 4:00-7:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at St. Mary's Church, 4 Herbert St., Melrose. Interment to follow the mass at Wyoming Cemetery, 205 Sylvan St., Melrose. Relatives & friends are respectfully invited to attend.