Candida Gialamas

Candida "Candy" Lee Gialamas, age 65, died peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 24th 2013 in her home with her family by her side. She was born in McFarland , WI, on October 4th, 1948 to Howard and Virginia (Kastner) McKinstry. She attended her first years of schooling in a tiny one-room schoolhouse, then graduated from Oregon High School. Candy met George Gialamas in Madison, Wisconsin while she attended UW-Madison for a degree in Engineering. She was an avid marksman & the captain of the UW Marksman team. She lived briefly in Denver, CO, working at Martin Marietta Aerospace Firm on the Apollo project before she married George on August 22, 1970.

Candy was an avid traveler and felt it was important to show her family the world with travels to all 7 continents. Candy was motivated to deepen the footprint of Madison. Together with her husband, George, they created Old Sauk Trails Park. Candy and George worked together as partners for 37 years in their family business, The Gialamas Company. In addition to her family & career, she was also involved in numerous boards and philanthropic efforts. She is a co-founder of The Madison Country Day School. She worked on projects such as the building of The Ronald McDonald House, Festival of the Lakes, The Women's Fund, Keep Wisconsin Warm, UW-Madison School of Music, and the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Twenty years ago, she created the largest annual fundraiser for the Madison Symphony Orchestra--Concert on the Green. She also established the Concert in the Park, a free annual concert for the community from the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra. Her goal was to someday create an outdoor summer music series. Candy always had an allegiance to veterans as both her parents served in the Marines. Candy was also well-known as "Mrs. G" for her countless pasta parties before each of her son's high school football games.

Candy was a devoted wife, mother, and YiaYia. Candy will be deeply missed by her husband, George Gialamas, children and grandchildren, Lana (Stephen) Bull, Scottsdale, Arizona, and their sons, Alexander and Grayson, Thomas (Penelope) Gialamas, Madison, and their children Candi and George, Gina Gialamas, Madison, Aris (Marta) Gialamas, Madison, and their children George, Candy, and Petra; and her siblings Gary McKinstry of Lodi California, Susan Jandry of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kelly Haase of Madison. She was preceded in death by her parents Howard & Virginia McKinstry of McFarland, and her siblings Kathy Lankston of Denver and Scott McKinstry of Madison.


Visitation will be held at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, 6021 University Ave, Madison, from 3:00-8:00 on Tuesday, Nov 26th. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be given in Candy's name to Madison Country Day School Scholarship Fund, 5606 River Road, Waunakee WI 53597,or the Madison Symphony Orchestra, 222 W. Washington Ave Suite 460, Madison WI 53703.
The family would like to extend their sincere thanks to the doctors and staff of Meriter Hospital & Agrace Hospice for their loving care and support during this difficult time.

God Looked Around His Garden
God Looked around his garden
And found an empty place.
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face.
He put His arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb,
So He Closed your weary eyelids
And whispered "Peace be thine."
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn't go alone,
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.