Gina Taliani

Gina Taliani, 45, of Palmyra, passed away on Friday, May 19, 2023 at Penn State Hampden Medical Center, Enola, surrounded by her loving family. The daughter of Doris (Dawson) Taliani and the late Lawrence “Larry” Taliani, she was born on August 24, 1977 in Camp Hill.

Gina was a 1996 graduate of Cedar Cliff High School, Camp Hill, and would go on to earn a degree in kinesiology from West Chester University. She had a great work ethic from a young age, becoming aquatics director at the West Shore YMCA while in high school before assuming the same position at the West Chester YMCA (effectively putting herself through college).

Serving others was a general theme throughout her life, and especially in her professional career. Gina was Director of Nursing for the Bridges at Bent Creek, Mechanicsburg, where she focused on making a positive and genuine impact in the lives of the residents and their families. Since then, Gina and her husband, Rich, have been employed by Milton Hershey School as house parents to several students at any given time. Currently, they house eight students, with dozens more having lived under their roof these past six years.

Unapologetically authentic, “her way” always made sense when doing something, yet she was always accepting of others and profoundly humble. Gina became certified in Mindfulness and Neurolinguistics, specializing in mindfulness practices for youth. In the not-too-distant future, she was set to lead a workshop for fellow house parents on the benefits of mindfulness. She made friends easily, even those with four legs and hooves; taking up therapeutic horseback riding, she was drawn to the horses who were cast aside and wound up caring for these animals in her free time. This ranged from feeding them to spending entire nights by their side while they were in labor.

Gina was living with cancer for many years, and like everything else in life, she chose to tackle it head-on. She was doing very well when a completely unrelated medical emergency interfered with all her hard work. Along with losing her father at an early age, she never allowed these obstacles to affect the way in which she treated others. Her favorite kind of mental health maintenance was spending time at the spa, where she could relax physically and allow her mind to clear. The way in which she brightened a room, or greeted you with a big smile, will be truly missed.

Surviving Gina is her husband and best friend in the world, Richard Briden; her mother, Doris Taliani of Camp Hill; siblings, Kara Taliani Elbert (husband, Dimitry) of Camp Hill, Lawrence Taliani Jr. of Highspire, and Augie Taliani (wife, Janelle) of Camp Hill; her mother-in-law, Sharon Briden of Palmyra; brothers-in-law, David Briden (wife, Vicki) of Springfield, VA, and Chris Briden of Palmyra; nephews and a niece, Robert Briden, Faith Briden and Spencer Briden; her grandmother, Maryann Dawson; and her many cousins and extended family members.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 5:30PM on Friday, June 2, 2023 at Catherine Hall – Milton Hershey School, 300 Hotel Road, Hershey, PA 17033, with doors opening at 5PM. All friends and family are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution in Gina’s name to the Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association (CATR), Dauphin County, at www.catra.net. Please remember to designate your gift as a memorial contribution for Gina Taliani when using the online submission form.