Happy 99th Birthday George Ganim, An OIB Salute

His first-born son, Mayor Joe Ganim offered this tribute on his Facebook page:

Throughout the years I had an opportunity to chat with George about his heritage and family immigration experience. Here’s a snapshot.

George Ganim was born in Bridgeport to Lebanese parents Wanis Joseph Ganim and Rose Baghdadi. His father spent his childhood in the small village of Baskinta among the Lebanese mountains that parallel the east coast of the Mediterranean.

The work of American missionaries organizing schools in Lebanon inspired Wanis to look across the sea for a life in America. At age 16 he left for America working in factories and repairing shoes in Brooklyn, N.Y. then moved to Bridgeport where his mother had settled. He adopted the common routine of the immigrant, peddling various goods door to door.

He married Rose in 1914. They had eight children, as would George and his wife Josephine, Wanis dreaming that at least one of his sons would pursue a career in law, accomplishments that would include three sons.

Wanis sold fruits and vegetables and imported Christmas trees and shrubs from Canada. George, as his siblings, was required to work in the family business which grew from horse-and-wagon, to truck deliveries to an outdoor site at North and Parrot in Bridgeport where it prospered.

“We all worked there,” George recalled “and my father didn’t pay us. He paid our college tuition.” Father’s success led to his son earning a law degree from University of Boston in 1951 where he was editor of the university’s law review.

In 1951 George began serving the legal needs of the greater Bridgeport community in both state and federal courts building a practice that included immigration, criminal and civil litigation, zoning, workers compensation, personal injury and family law.

At 16 years of age Josephine Tarrick, the daughter of Syrian and Italian immigrants, landed a part time job for George’s fledgling law practice. Three years later she married her boss and they didn’t waste any time raising a family in Bridgeport.

George cherished his family roots and eventually purchased property in rural Easton where he grew and sold Christmas trees that has become a community institution.

Government and politics interested him as well. George ran for mayor of Bridgeport on the Republican ticket in 1961 finishing behind Democratic incumbent Samuel Tedesco. George served as Republican town chairman in the 1960s and later as deputy city attorney under Republican Mayor Nicholas Panuzio.

George was stalwart, as well, assisting the ascension of two of his sons into public office, Joe as mayor and Paul the long-serving probate judge of Bridgeport.

As Joe notes, happy birthday George. Here’s to 100 years.