Christine Brignoli

Healthcare of Harwich on April 29th due to complications of

early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Chris was born on January 21, 1946 in

Pasadena, California and spent her childhood years in Monterey Park,

California and Norwalk, Connecticut. After attending Rider College in

New Jersey, she joined her family who had just moved to Beirut,

Lebanon and her life-long love of the Middle East and world travel

began. Chris completed her Bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1967 at

the American University of Beirut and, after her family returned to

the United States; she remained in Beirut and earned her Master’s

degree in education in 1969. Chris then began a career spanning some

30 years teaching at international schools in the Middle East, with

postings in Tunisia, Egypt, Iran and Saudi Arabia. She met the love of

her life, Frank Brignoli, while teaching in Iran where Frank was

working as a civil engineer for the Grumman Aerospace Corporation.

They were married in St. Louis in 1980, a year after being evacuated

from Iran, following the ouster of the Shah of Iran and return of the

Ayatollah Khomeini to the country. And, throughout it all, Chris

virtually always had a cat in tow! Despite the distance, Chris never

forgot her family and regularly regaled them with very long

handwritten letters describing the excitement that was her life during

those years. After her return to the states, Chris furthered her

education at Simmons College, where she earned her Master’s degree in

library sciences. Her love of books and children drew her to both the

Snow library in Orleans and the Eldredge Library in Chatham where she

served as the children’s librarian for several years until her

retirement.

Chris and Frank took full advantage of their opportunities for

international travel and explored Europe, Africa and especially Asia

extensively. They shared their passion for travel with friends and

family as they made their home a testimonial to their love of world

travel. One of Chris’s favorite displays in her Cape Cod home is a

world map with colored pins inserted to record all of the locations

she and Frank had journeyed to. Chris’ love for writing and Frank’s

talents as an amateur photographer eventually culminated in their

co-published book: Lhasa, Tibet’s Forbidden City in 1986.

Chris was predeceased by her parents Arch and Wanda Johnston of

Orleans and is survived by her husband Frank, her brother Eric

Johnston and his wife Ann Linberg of Greensboro, North Carolina, and

her other brother Dana Johnston and his wife Frances Milligan of

Eugene, Oregon.

Friends may call from 3-6 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013 at the Doane,

Beal & Ames Funeral Home, 729 Route 134, in South Dennis.

A funeral service will be held at 10 am on Friday, May 10, 2013 at the

funeral home. Burial will follow in Orleans Cemetery, Tonset Road,

Orleans, MA.

At Frank’s request, in lieu of flowers he asks that donations can be

made to The Alzheimer’s Association and Beacon Hospice of Hyannis