Dr. Joseph James DeLucia

Dr. Joseph James “Joe” DeLucia died peacefully on November 19, 2023, in Palm Coast, Florida, at the age of 87. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Born at Lutheran Hospital in Brooklyn, NY, Joe was the son of Joseph DeLucia and Annunziata (Bolettieri) DeLucia, an Italian immigrant. He spent his childhood on Jardine Place in the Ocean Hill section of Brooklyn, where he lived with his parents, grandparents, and other relatives. Joe loved baseball and the Brooklyn Dodgers, and he was a devoted student who only skipped school once – to watch the third and deciding game of the National League pennant between the Giants and Dodgers on October 3, 1951. That game didn’t end well for the Dodgers, but Joe’s love of baseball continued through high school, where he played catcher and outfield for the Farmingdale High School (FHS) Dalers.

Joe’s family moved from Brooklyn to Farmingdale, Long Island, when Joe was a junior in high school, but his grandfather disliked “the country” and the family moved back to Brooklyn the following year. Ironically, despite being a rule follower who would later spend a distinguished career in public education, Joe remained enrolled at FHS during his senior year of high school by using his uncle’s address in Farmingdale and taking a one-hour train to and from Brooklyn every day. One day, Joe had the misfortune of being spotted on the train by two teachers from FHS – but as he was Vice President of the senior class and an outstanding student and athlete, they decided not to report him. We are grateful for their decision, because it was at FHS that Joe met the love of his life, Ann Ryan, who would later become his wife of 66 years.

Joe received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from St. John’s University in 1957, a Masters’ degree in education from Hofstra University in 1962, and a Ph.D. in education from the University of Connecticut in 1974. He had a distinguished 37-year career in public school education, guided by his philosophy of individualized instruction and teacher and student involvement in curriculum. He started out teaching biology and chemistry in Valley Stream and Bayport, New York (1958-63), and later moved to Connecticut where he taught chemistry and served as chair of the science department at Coventry Junior-Senior High School (1963-68). Joe was a House Administrator at Greenwich High School (1969-72) and the Principal of Coginchaug Regional High School (Durham, CT) (1973-77). He made a quick detour to New York State to serve as Principal of Arlington High School in Pleasant Valley (1977-80), before returning to Connecticut to take a Superintendent of Schools position in Ellington, Connecticut.

Joe spent 15 years as Superintendent in Ellington, where he led advances in special education and created programs for gifted and talented children. In a 1995 article in the Hartford Courant about his retirement, it was noted that Joe provided educational leadership and vision to a community undergoing significant economic pressure, but that the recession of the early 90s, as well as a lack of taxpayer will, led to painful spending cuts in many of the programs that he created. As Joe told the Courant, he felt that his job was to take care of the needs of kids first – and that worrying about taxes was not part of the Superintendent’s job description. Joe decided to move on in 1995 to become the Executive Director of the Middle States Commission on Secondary Schools in Philadelphia, hoping to concentrate full-time on education and strengthening schools, rather than passing budgets. The role also took Joe, and frequently Ann as well, to places such as Morocco, Madagascar, Egypt, and Turkey, in connection with accreditation visits for American schools abroad. Joe finally retired for good in 2003, and Ann and Joe split their time between Palm Coast, Florida, and a house they built on Lake Ashuelot in Washington, New Hampshire.

Joe was a voracious reader with a dry sense of humor. In addition to baseball, he enjoyed civil war and ancient history; carpentry; traveling with Ann; walking on the beach; enjoying good food; his dogs, Dudley and Zoe; and keeping up with the St. John’s basketball team along with the New York Giants and Notre Dame football teams. Joe’s kindness and sense of humor endeared him to all who met him – colleagues, friends and the health care workers who provided care and support for Joe his later years. The family is especially grateful to the staff of DaVita Dialysis Center in Palm Coast, Florida, and Doctors Becki Melton and William Ferguson.

Most of all, Joe loved his family. He was a loving husband, a devoted father, and a doting grandfather. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ann (Ryan) DeLucia, of Palm Coast, Florida; three children, Christopher (Wei-Jei) DeLucia, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Matthew DeLucia, of Farmington, Connecticut; and Joanna DeLucia (Christine Jessup) of Silver Spring, Maryland; and four granddaughters, Krystin DeLucia (Philip Orzech) of West Hartford, Connecticut; Evelyn DeLucia, of Philadelphia; and Alexa and Ariel DeLucia, of Silver Spring, Maryland. Joe is also survived by his sister, Bernadette Merlo of North Massapequa, New York; his sister-in-law, Joan Pederson of Smithtown, New York; his cousins, Camille DeLucia of Athens, Georgia, and Armand DeLucia, of New York State; and numerous relatives and friends.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Craig Flagler Palms Funeral Home, Flagler Beach, Florida, and McCourt & Trudden Funeral Home, Farmingdale, New York. The family will have visiting hours on December 2, 2023, from 9:30am to 10:30am, followed by a memorial service at 10:30am, at McCourt & Trudden, located at 385 Main Street, Farmingdale NY 11735. Burial at St. Charles cemetery in Farmingdale will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the educational charity of your choice in Joe’s honor.