James Joseph Garibaldi – Commander, United States Navy

From a contemporary press report:

James Joseph Garibaldi, 76, a retired Navy commander and Supply Corps officer who was executive director of the American Occupational Therapy Association from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, died February 8, 2003, at Avalon House assisted-living facility in Falls Church. He had congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease.

Commander Garibaldi was born in New York and grew up in Yonkers, New York. He entered the Navy in 1943 at Dartmouth College under the V-2 program and was a 1949 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was on the track team and varsity basketball team.

He attended the Armed Forces Staff College and received a master’s degree in supply and logistics from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio.

He served in the Korean War, and his later duties included tours in the Mediterranean and South America, where he was a liaison between the Brazilian navy supply corps and U.S. Navy Supply Corps. His final active-duty assignment, in 1971, was in the naval office of legislative affairs as a Supply Corps liaison.

At the American Occupational Therapy Association, he lobbied Congress to include occupational therapy services in Medicaid and Medicare programs.

He settled in the Washington area in 1969 and lived in Florida from 1987 to 1993 before returning. He had a residence in Arlington but had spent the last few years at Avalon House.

His memberships included Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Arlington and the Presidential Commission on Aging.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Katherine McSpedon Garibaldi of Arlington; three children, Karen Love of Falls Church, Colleen Garibaldi of Washington and James J. Garibaldi Jr. of Arlington; a brother; a sister; and six grandchildren.

GARIBALDI, JAMES J., CDR, USN (Ret.)
USNA, Class of 1949

On Saturday, February 8, 2003, from congestive heart failure and Alzheimer’s Disease, of Arlington, Virginia. Beloved husband of Katherine M. Garibaldi; loving father of Karen Love, Colleen Garibaldi and James J. (Anna) Garibaldi, Jr.; brother of John W. Garibaldi and Louise Schadt. Also survived by six grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday, March 3, 10:45 a.m. at Fort Myer Old Post Chapel. Interment Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made c/o Assisted Living Video, Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living, 2342 Oak St., Falls Church, VA 22046; or Alzheimer’s Family Daycare Center, 2036 Westmorland St., Falls Church, VA 22043.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard