Joseph Arthur Zente III

Joseph Arthur Zente III, 67, of Buchanan Dam, TX, formerly of Austin, TX and South Orange, NJ, passed away peacefully on December 25, 2024, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Joe was born on April 18,1957 in Orange, New Jersey, the son of Joseph Zente Jr. and Constance D’Ambrosio Zente.

Remaining to cherish Joe’s memory are his wife, Julie Zente (Middleton); his children, Joseph Arthur Zente IV, (Allie Zente), Thomas Alexander Zente, (Victoria DiMatos), Alexander Michael Zente, (Cassidy Zente); grandchildren, McKenna Zente, Annabella Zente, Cooper Zente, Kolby Zente; brother, Tommy Zente (Cindy); sister, Debbie Pompliano (Bill); his sisters and brothers-in-law, Lisa and Nash Breen, Kerrie and Tom Heck, George and Kim Middleton, Cathi and David Allebé; his many nieces and nephews.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, Constance and Joseph Zente; his cherished aunt, Anne Don Diego; nephew, Nick Pompliano; and his dear friend, Karl Dagel.

Joe graduated from Columbia High School in 1975, and he went on to New Jersey Institute of Technology, earning a degree in Chemical Engineering, while playing on the baseball and basketball teams. He was All Conference three years in a row. He received the Outstanding Senior Athlete award from the New Jersey Sportswriters Association in 1979. This year he was nominated to the NJIT Athletic Hall of Fame.

Joe married Julie Middleton on May 22, 1983 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in South Orange, NJ and remained happily married for 41 years.

Joe owned and operated Z3 Performance Development and TAB Austin for over 20 years. Joe helped hundreds of small business owners and CEOs in the Central Texas area grow and become successful.

Joe was an athlete who loved playing and coaching baseball and basketball with his three sons as they were growing up. He was also an avid golfer. He was a member at Balcones Country Club for over 20 years. If his boys didn’t have games or tournaments, he was out walking Balcones with his push cart. In recent years, he wanted nothing more than to spend time with his wife, Julie, his sons, and his grandchildren at his lake house or ranch property. His family was his world. He was an amazing, loving “Popsy” to his grandchildren, a wonderful loving husband to Julie, and an incredible, dedicated father to his children.

Joe will be remembered for his big infectious smile and laughter, his unique, silly sense of humor, his deep love for music, his “baseball is life” attitude, his easy-going nature, and his UnCommon Sense approach to business and sales. Most of all, he will be remembered for his deep and unwavering love for his family.

Joe was loved and adored by those who knew him and will be dearly missed.

The family would like to thank Dr. Abdulkadir Slocum and the staff at ChemoThermia in Istanbul, Turkey for all their kindness and help during his illness. They would also like to thank their incredibly supportive family and friends.

A funeral mass will be held January 3, 2025 at 2:15pm at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 10205 N FM 620, Austin, TX 76726. Burial will be immediately following at Our Lady of the Rosary, 330 Berry Lane, Georgetown, TX 78626.

Donations in his honor can be made to The Foundation for Metabolic Cancer Therapies. https://foundationformetaboliccancertherapies.com/index.php?option=com_jdonation&view=donation&campaign_id=1&Itemid=104