Louis Ernest Garibaldi

Louis E. Garibaldi, age 79, of South Dartmouth, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 14, 2023, in Sacred Heart Home surrounded by his family. He was the beloved husband for 59 years of Linda M. (Spann) Garibaldi.

Born in San Francisco, Lou was the eldest son of the late Victor and Adele (Didier) Garibaldi who were born in San Francisco. Lou graduated from St. Ignatius High School where he was active on the swim and dive teams. He graduated college from the University of San Francisco with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Zoology and did graduate work at San Francisco State University.

From an early age, Lou was fascinated with aquatic life. Following graduation, he worked at San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium. He continued in his career at Marine World in Redwood City. From there he accepted the position of Curator at the National Fisheries Center and Aquarium in Washington, D.C. and moved in 1969 with his wife and two young children to the East Coast. He next became the Curator of Boston’s New England Aquarium. Lou and his growing family lived in Topsfield, MA where they were actively involved in the town and their precious faith community of Our Lady of La Salette. After a successful career in Boston, Lou and Linda moved their family of eight children to Scotch Plains, New Jersey in 1983 where he became the Assistant Director and later the Director of the New York Zoological Society’s New York Aquarium. Lou and his family enjoyed nearly 20 years in New Jersery as active parishioners of St. Helen’s faith community where they still treasure many lifelong friendships.

In 2002, Lou returned to Massachusetts in anticipation of the creation of the New Bedford Oceanarium. He concluded his lifelong career as Director of New Bedford’s Buttonwood Park Zoo.

Lou’s greatest love was spending time with his family. Throughout his life, he instilled in his children a mutual love for camping, skiing, golf, cooking (especially making his mother’s recipe for enchilada sauce), traveling, gardening and, of course, science fiction.

As much as Lou was passionate for all children and adults to see and appreciate live animals by seeing them in person, he will always be remembered for his kindness, his sense of humor, and his desire to be a help to anyone in need. Lou was active in his retirement by volunteering as a parishioner in his church, St. Mary’s in Dartmouth, as a member of Dartmouth’s Finance Committee, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, at the Solanus Casey Food Pantry, and with the Friends of the Buttonwood Park.

In addition to his wife, Linda, he is survived by his children, Dawn Garibaldi and her husband David Todd, Debra Maher, Christopher Garibaldi, Edward Garibaldi and his wife Karen, Thomas Garibaldi, Kathryn Garibaldi and her husband William Altieri, Joanna Messier and her husband Nicholas, and Matthew Garibaldi; by his brother, Daniel Garibaldi and his wife Lauren; and his brother-in-law, Richard Lotz. Lou is also survived by his adored grandchildren, Adrian, Daelynn, Haley, Jacob, Julia, Eric, Alyssa, Alex, Sarah, Megan, Harper, Cali and his loving nieces and nephews. Lou was predeceased by his beloved sister, Victoria Lotz.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Lou's honor may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association and Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Boston.

The family gives their sincerest thanks for the loving care and dedication of the staff of St. Joseph’s unit of the Sacred Heart Home in New Bedford and the Community Nurse Home Care Hospice staff.

His Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, January 23, 2023 at 10:00 AM in St. Mary’s Church, 795 Dartmouth St., Dartmouth. Relatives and friends are invited. Burial will be private. Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 22, 2023 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM in the WARING-SULLIVAN HOME at DARTMOUTH, 230 Russells Mills Road, Dartmouth, MA 02745. To leave a note of condolence: www.waring-sullivan.com