Joseph Tropea

Joseph was a dedicated husband to his surviving wife, Joanna, for 65 years. Together they raised 4 children: Beverly Anderson (Steve) of Cocoa, Ray Tropea (Joyce) of Virginia, Sherry Trimboli (Frank) of Cocoa, and Steve Tropea (Tina) of South Carolina. He is also survived by his 8 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren, who knew him as Pop; sisters Grace LaChina of Maryland; Nina Policicchio of Merritt Island; brother Sam of Orlando; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his loving parents, Domenico and Giuseppina Tropea; older brother, Frank; and twin brother, Tony.

Joseph was born on April 10, 1936, in Washington D.C. to his Italian immigrant parents. As a youth he enjoyed playing football and baseball, and he earned the name “Smoking Joe” while boxing at the Boy’s Club that met in the basement of the All Souls Baptist church on 16th and Harvard Street. Being in a family of six children, learning to work in the family grocery store and shoe repair shop was mandatory to help provide.

Joseph’s older brother Frank introduced him to the electrical trade, and at the age of 17 he left school to be a full-time electrician. He went on to become a foreman running jobs throughout the D.C. area. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve and served from 1954 to 1961 as an aviation mechanic.

Joseph and Joanna grew up in the same Italian church. They married on September 17, 1956 and moved to Florida in 1958. He continued in the electrical trade in various types of employment opportunities, including being a foreman during the construction of Spaceship Earth at Epcot as well as being a part of the space program at KSC in the 1960’s until his retirement in 2003.

Joseph ministered to the inmates at the Brevard Correctional Institute, to the elderly in nursing homes, as well as lead caroling with the youth and church goers to the shut-ins and people of the community. He was an active member of Calvary Chapel Merritt Island.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Calvary Chapel Merritt Island Missions or Youth Ministry.

A visitation for Joseph will be held Saturday, November 6, 2021 from 1:30 PM to 2:00 PM at Calvary Chapel, 3500 N Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL 32953, followed by a funeral service at 2:00PM. Live streaming is available at ccMerrittIsland.org/live. Interment will follow with military honors in Florida Memorial Gardens.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.FloridaMemorialFH-Gardens.com for the Tropea family.