Martha Giambalvo

Martha Giambalvo January 25, 1927 – December 4, 2025

Martha Giambalvo, born on January 25, 1927, to Gasper and Lorenzo Bongiorno, was the youngest of six siblings. As was common at the time, she left school at an early age to begin working in a factory as a seamstress continuing that work for over 40 years . In 1944, she married Salvatore Giambalvo, and together they had two children, Vincent and Elizabeth.

After retiring in her 60s to help babysit her grandson, Martha embraced an active lifestyle. She learned to swim and dance and exercised regularly at the YMCA. She was very active at her senior center, taking trips, exercising, and volunteering with the group that would dance and entertain at nursing homes.

When Salvatore became ill, Martha devoted two years to being a loving and diligent caregiver proving for him 24/7. After his passing, she returned to “the center” and began traveling with a close group of friends .

At the age of 85, she followed her Granddaughter to North Carolina and began a new chapter of her life. Residing in a 55+ building, she hosted many card games in her kitchen and formed special friendships becoming especially close with her dear friends Judy and Alice. Martha was a great cook and enjoyed cooking for friends and family and her door was always open to anyone who walked by. Martha often for said that her years at Highland Terrace were among the best of her life, and she made the most of each day. She loved playing cards, Zumba, jazzercise and yoga. In addition to being busy with friends, she was always available to her family. You were always welcome and if you slept over and she would wake you up bright and early with breakfast on the table. Her family knew she was always ready for a visit or a call and she would listen and provide her very honest (very honest!) advice.

Martha passed away with family by her side on December 4, 2025 , just shy of her 98th birthday. She remained busy and energetic for 95 of those years, and in her final years still found joy in visits from her friends and family. She especially enjoyed seeing her great grandchildren and her beloved dog Duke.

Martha is survived by her son, Vincent, and his wife, Betty; her daughter, Elizabeth, and her husband, Thomas; her grandchildren: Donna, Timothy and his wife, Sara, Betty, Tara, Sam and his wife, Allison, Kathleen and her husband, Brett, and Lisa and her husband, Nick. Martha was immensely proud of being a great-grandmother and would often share with others the number of great-grandchildren she had. She is survived by Gaby, Gianna, Ella, Gio, Jake, Ava, Sofia, Samantha, Vince, Zach, Emily, Max, Josh, Lyla, Sadie, Lena, and Lindsey.

Martha’s life was a testament to living your best life at any age, adaptability,, and the joy of embracing new experiences. Her grandson in law described her best saying “she was the funniest one in the room, and she was never trying to be”. Her family has countless stories of “grandma being grandma”. Her legacy lives on through these stories, her family and the countless lives she touched.