Joseph Anthony Falcone

He graduated from Syracuse University in 1943 with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Joe married the love of his life, Helen, on September 7, 1946. They were married almost 70 years. Joe worked as a professional engineer and executive in the petroleum refining and chemical process industries for Shell, DuPont and Allied Signal corporations.

In 1962 he moved his family to Olympia, Washington, and opened a Western Auto hardware store. Giving up the security of a corporate career, and taking the entrepreneurial risk of creating and operating a private retail business was the defining event of his life. Joe loved the personal relationships created in a local retail business. He had a phenomenal memory for his customers, remembering their names, families and stories. Joe and his entire family worked in the store until he retired in 1986.

At that time Joe and Helen began “snow birding” between Olympia and Sun City West, Arizona. They split each year between the two locations until 2012, when they stayed in sunny Arizona full time. As a lifelong Rotarian, Joe was particularly proud to have been the president of two Rotary Clubs: Moundsville, West Virginia, and founding president of West Olympia, Washington.

Joe is survived by his loving wife, Helen (Fjosee) Falcone, his three sons, Mark (Denise) Falcone of Laguna Beach, California, Norman Falcone of Olympia, and Joseph (Mary Beth) Falcone of Anchorage, Alaska, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Joe is also survived by his brother Alfred (Francoise) Falcone of Jamesville, New York, in addition to numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Mattia (Falcone) Ascioti and Maria A Falcone, a brother, Anthony Falcone, Jr., and a nephew, Anthony Falcone III.

Joe was a parishioner at St. Michael Catholic Parish in Olympia and Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church in Sun City West.

Joe will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Services will be held Friday, September 2, at 11:00 AM at St. Michael Parish in Olympia, Washington. A reception will follow at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Rotary Foundation’s PolioPlus Fund to eradicate polio worldwide, at https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/take-action/end-polio.

Arrangements under the direction of Mills & Mills Funeral Home and Memorial Park, Tumwater, WA.