While he was born Joseph, everyone knew him as Jody- which was fitting for the laid-back, cheerful guy he was. Jody was a great listener, but he was also a fantastic storyteller. Not only did he ALWAYS have stories to tell, but by the end of them, everyone was usually clutching their sides... or their pearls.
Jody had several careers in public service, including firefighting, emergency services, and 4 years in the US Army. Wherever he was, Jody always wanted to help people.
Every one of the people lucky enough to call Jody “Dad”, at some point also got to call him “Coach”. An all-around athlete, he had already played every sport his children began, so naturally, he jumped in and coached each of them. He never missed an opportunity to loudly declare his pride in his kids.
He married his brown-eyed girl, Sangeeta, in August 2000 and always described her as his “better half”.
Jody is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Sangeeta. Children: Cole (Mary Kate) Gage (Carly) Saajan, and Preesha. Grandchildren: Haven, Rainer, Sutton, and Maguire. Brothers: Matt, Robert, Billy and their families. And friends too numerous to count, some of whom became family throughout Jody’s life.
Services will be held Friday, June 5, 2026 at 2pm at Bill Merritt Funeral Home.
