Luciano Giraldo

Luciano Giraldo, 72, passed away August 24, 2010 at the Shepherd of the Valley Care Center after a long courageous battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday August 28, 2010, 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church with Father Robert Fox as celebrant. Interment will follow at Highland Cemetery. A reception will be held at 1:00 PM in the basement at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. Recitation of the Rosary and
a life story Video will be Friday, August 27, 7:00 PM at the Newcomer Funeral Home with visitation to follow.

Luciano was born in the beautiful Huaylas Valley, in Yungay,Peru on July 9,
1938, to Celinda and Elias Giraldo. In his youth, he was a well-known soccer player for regional semi-pro teams. After graduating from Santa Ines High School, he received his teaching degree from Tingua Normal School in 1962.
On his first teaching assignment in the coastal city of Chimbote, Peru, he met his future wife, Alberta, who was a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer serving in community development projects. He shared her altruism and volunteered for Peace Corps projects as a counselor at Camp Atahualpa for under-privileged kids and as a teacher in evening adult literacy classes. On December 27, 1966, they were married at St. Anthony Catholic Church in Casper, Wyoming. Luciano taught Spanish at Peace Corps training programs at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT; Escondido Training Center in California, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, and at the Catholic University in Ponce, Puerto Rico. After completing a master's degree in Spanish at the University of Wyoming in 1969, he taught Spanish at Sublett Co. High School in Big Piney, Wyoming. He returned to Casper and taught Spanish at CYJH School, where he was a popular teacher until he retired in 1997. He continued teaching as a part time Spanish instructor at Casper College until he retired in 2006. He was a proud, lifelong member of the National Education Association, the Wyoming Education Association, and the Natrona County Education Association.

In 1972, Luciano and his wife formed the Wyoming Spanish Study Program to
provide affordable foreign travel-study to Spain and over a period of 20 years (1972-1992), introduced European culture to over 300 students and teachers from Wyoming. After retiring from his public school career, he continued to offer foreign travel-study to Casper College students, colleagues, and friends to his native Peru until 2008. He will be remembered for making foreign travel a fun and memorable experience.

Luciano is survived by his wife; son Daniel (Tracee) of Las Vegas, NV; son
Nicholas (Nicole) of Laramie, WY; daughter Cristina (David) of Casper; grandchildren Aidan, Emersen, Devyn, and Keiran; sister Natalina Giraldo of Lima, Peru; his brother Rev. Jaime Giraldo (Enedina) of Del Rio, TX.; sisters-in-law Elizabeth Giraldo of Lima, Peru and Alma Wlazlinski (Joseph) of Waco, Texas and brother-in-law Richard Garcia of Grand Prairie,Texas; and many beloved cousins, nephews, and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Mariscot and Juan, and sister Herminia.

Flowers, cards, or memorials to Central Wyoming Hospice & Transitions or
Shepherd of the Valley Care Center can be sent c/o Newcomer Funeral Home, 710 E.
2nd, Casper, WY 82601.