Joe was born October 19, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, to Angelo and Angela Zaffuto. At 18, Joe was drafted by the Army and served in the Vietnam War. Upon his return, Joe joined the New York Police Department (NYPD) and served 15 years of honorable service. During his tenure at the NYPD, Joe enrolled at the New York Institute of Technology where he graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice. He married his bride, Annmarie Pascucci, at the Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in Springfield Gardens, New York, and they built a home in Holtsville, New York, where they raised two sons.
Joe’s experience in the Army and NYPD laid the foundation for a lifetime of public service. He served in the military (20 years of total service in the Army and National Guard), as a school bus driver (over 20 years), and worked as a baseball and softball umpire.
He is survived by his wife, Annmarie (married for 52 years); two sons and a daughter-in-law, Joseph, and Michael and Shauna; two sisters, Carol (David) and Angela; grandchildren, Kade, and Kole
A Celebration of Life for Joseph will be held Wednesday, June 5, 2024, from 3:00 PM to 3:30 PM at Volusia Memorial Funeral Home, 548 North Nova Road, Ormond Beach, FL 32174. Following the funeral services will be a committal service with military honors from 3:45 PM to 4:00 PM at Volusia Memorial Park, 550 N Nova Rd, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the NYC PBA Widows and Children's Fund, c/o Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, 125 Broad Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10004.
