Katie Giardina

Katie Giardina was born in Birmingham, AL on January 22, 1945, to Jessie Hale. Her father, Jimmie Hale, had passed away several months prior to her birth. A few years later her mother remarried and had another daughter, Ann. Katie and her sister Ann grew up going with their mother to the Jimmie Hale Mission. Throughout their childhood, Katie and Ann participated in the work of the mission which included preaching the gospel, helping feed and provide shelter to the homeless. Katie graduated from Phillips High School and was soon married. Over the next several years she had four children. She became a single mom when her marriage did not work out. Katie and her mother, Jessie Hale Downs, purchased a home in Woodlawn in the fall of 1970. Katie lived in that same home until she needed residential nursing care at the end of 2021. In 1974, Katie married Phillip Giardina who was the love of her life. Katie made sure her children knew Jesus and were in church every time the doors were open. Her home was the center of life for the neighborhood children. Katie treated everyone as family. She always made sure everyone had something to eat and wear if they needed it. Katie was a remarkable woman. She did whatever it took to care for her children. She was a hard worker her entire life and she taught her children how to be hard workers too. In the early 1970s she became the first woman automotive manager of a K-Mart. She later left that job to work with her mother at the Jimmie Hale Mission to manage their thrift store. When Jessie Hale Downs retired in 1990, Katie left her position at the mission as well. Katie started selling used uniforms at the Bessemer flea market. This was more than a job, this was her ministry. She prayed for her customers and would often give them clothes for free if they could not afford them. As people purchased clothes she would tell them that Jesus loved them and she would offer to pray for them. She also made sure to pray for all of her fellow vendors. She worked at the flea market until 2018 when she became physically unable to continue. Katie was preceded in death by her parents, Jimmie Hale and Jessie Hale Downs, her sister Ann Wilson and her husband Phillip Giardina. She is survived by her sons Bubba (Melany) Justice, Scott (Tonya) Justice, daughters Rhonda (Craig) Hunt, Sherry (Eddie) Martin, grandchildren Jessilyn (Heath) Lancaster, Sally (Josh) Forakis, Austin (Maddie) Hudson, Matt (Lexi) Hudson, Amber (Austin) Jenkins, Connor (Catherine) Justice, Corey (Aimee) Justice, Kelsie Justice, Zac (Ariel) Martin, and Andrew Martin, and 10 great grandchildren.

Katie Giardina

January 22, 1945 - February 18, 2023