Joseph Michael Nappi

PORTLAND – Joseph Michael Nappi, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle passed away peacefully on September 1, 2025, at the age of 95, surrounded by his family and the love he nurtured throughout his long, full life.

Born on November 13, 1929, in Portland, Maine to Giovanni (John) and Lucrezia (Montecalvo) Nappi, immigrants from Naples, Italy, Joe was the ninth of fifteen children. He grew up in Portland and Yarmouth, attending Portland schools, and was raised in a close-knit community where family, faith, and food were the cornerstones of life. Joe carried those values and family traditions with him every day while passing them on to generations after him.

Joe served his country in the US Army from 1951 to 1953 stationed in Italy in the 8th Transportation Brigade. He recalled this time with pride.

After arriving back home, Joe went to work as a beer delivery driver for his father’s business, Nappi Distributors. One of his delivery stops was Hilltop Superette, owned by Alphonse and Rose Mangino and whose daughter Antoinette signed the inventory slips. Soon after meeting, Joe asked her on a date and on September 5, 1955, Joe married Antoinette Mangino at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Together, they built a home filled with warmth, traditions, and laughter raising their five children.

Throughout his career, Joe continued to foster his passion for food and family working for his in-law’s at Hilltop Superette as a butcher, at his own store on Washington Ave, Joe’s Variety and then at Nappi’s Bakery until 2016. Joe’s professional life often mirrored his personal life, centered around food, drink, family, and a good joke. He enjoyed any type of family get together and even made weeknight meals feel like a celebration. Joe had a green thumb and could often be found working in his extensive garden or mowing the greenest lawn in Portland. He enjoyed spending time at his home, often in his shed, listening to Italian music, chopping wood, feeding the squirrels, or drinking a cold beer. When not outside, Joe could be found either cooking homemade meals for his family, especially homemade Italian sausages, or relaxing on the porch with a fire in his woodstove. He had a passion for taking drives through the country in his Cadillac or foraging for mushrooms and had the biggest sweet-tooth of all.

Papa Joe was generous, funny, and made everyone laugh. His legacy lives on in the stories told around the table, in the values he instilled, and in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Joe was predeceased by his parents; his granddaughter, Kristen and his son-in-law David. He was also predeceased by his brothers Sam, Nick, Tony, Carlo, John, Michael, Sava, Albert, and Frank, and his sisters Chris, Lucy, Mary, and Rose.

He is survived by his wife Antoinette, his children, Rosanne (Mark) O’Brion, Elizabeth Moran, Theresa (Brian) Gagne, John (Susan), Joseph Jr.; his brother Philip (Jutta); grandchildren, Theresa (Michael) Clark, John Michael (Brittany) Nappi, Maria (Rocco) Toppi, Scott (Geena) Nappi, Nicholas (Danielle) Barbera, Kelley O’Brion, Allie (Patrick) Small and Travis Gagne; great-grandchildren, Brady, Landon, Shelby, Enzo, Nico T., Emmett, Nico B., Reese and Rowan; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend special thanks to Andrea Burton and Shelly Myhaver of Assisted Care LLC for their guidance and support through this very difficult time and also to the caring and attentive nurses of Gentiva Home Health; Rachel, Bree, Shelly, Taylor and Kate.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Portland on Friday, September 12th at 10:00 am.