Giovanni Messina was born on December 26, 1938, and passed away peacefully comforted by his family at the age of 86 on November 11, 2025. He was the son of the late Santi Messina and Yolanda (Bartalotta) Messina.
Giovanni was also predeceased by his sister Melina (Messina) Giardina.
Giovanni met the love of his life Cettina S. Battaglia when they were children, and they had been in love ever since. They married on October 28th, 1961, and lived happily for 64 years. They started a beautiful home and family in Messina, Sicily, where they welcomed three children. He went to a university and earned his master’s degree to become an accountant and decided to go out on his own to start his own business for which he was very passionate. He was a very respected, appreciated, and admired man.
On August 11, 1978, Giovanni and Cettina moved their family to America to give their children a better life in Great Barrington. He worked at Becton Dickinson + Co. in Canaan, Conn., for 25 years, where he worked endlessly night and day.
Giovanni is survived by his wife Cettina Messina; his son Santi Messina and his wife Lisa Massie; his stepdaughter Allison Lamke; his son Rosario Messina and his wife Jennifer (Martelle) Messina; his daughter Yolanda (Messina) Dutkiewicz and her husband Daniel Dutkiewicz; his grandchildren, Daniella Harlow-Morrison and her husband Shane Harlow-Morrison, Brandon Messina, Andrew Dutkiewicz and his girlfriend Emma DeVore, and Shane Messina; his great-grandchild Thorin Harlow-Morrison; his sister-in-law Claudia Martin; his niece Claudia Callinan; his nephew Jerry Callinan and their children, Alex Callinan and fiancée Vanessa Scutt and Carianne Callinan; his niece Rina Giardina; his nephew Pippo Giardina and his wife Marie and their children, Mariana and Filippo Giardina; and his cousin Guglielmina Battaglia.
Giovanni was a loving, amazing son, brother, friend, husband, father, Nonno, and Bis-Nonno. He spoiled his family rotten and cared for everyone around him and always put the ones he loved before himself. He will be dearly missed by everyone that knew him in his life.
In keeping with Giovanni’s wishes, all services are private. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy in Giovanni’s memory may be made to Fairview Commons in care of the Birches-Roy Funeral Home, 33 South St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. Condolences may be made through the funeral home’s website.
