Joe was preceded in death by his parents Mateo & Anna, his older brother John, his younger sister Antoinette (Cookie) and his youngest brother Michael.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 43 years, Margaret (Peggy), son, five daughters and their spouses: Jeff & Diane Gout, Jennifer & Tom Sellers, Michelle & Mark Byrne, Anna & Morton Myers, Kathy & Chris Crabbe, Meghan & Dan Hill, all 19 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, aunt, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He considered family most important of all.
Joe was born on February 15, 1938, to Mateo & Anna, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan with his siblings. He always spoke very highly of them, had many great stories, and loved them dearly.
Joe left school to serve his country in the US Army. He spent time at the base in Okinawa and always had a great story about the burgers. When he returned home to Detroit, he took a job with Budweiser where he delivered beer for 17 years. Although he never did consume it himself, he kept memorabilia from his time at Budweiser, covering the walls of the garage in signs and collectable mugs which he became notorious for.
It was at Budweiser where he met Peggy, and they started their life together along with Peggy’s three children from a previous marriage. Joe lovingly took on the role as their father and never wavered as he always considered them his own. Their family continued to grow with the addition of three more daughters, and in 1986 they relocated to Clearwater, Florida. Joe took a job with Moss Feaster Funeral Home where he worked for over 27 years until his retirement. Through his employment with Moss Feaster, he comforted loved ones in their most difficult times with the passing of a loved one, and gained lifelong memories and friendships. After retiring, he volunteered for the Clearwater Police Department and loved serving the community. He later decided to come out of retirement to work for Countryside Christian Church and Serenity Gardens Funeral Home. He also served as a greeter in his church and often volunteered for charitable work.
Peggy & Joe eventually moved to Redington Shores where they enjoyed the water, the sun, and the beautiful sunsets. It was a great place for their children and many grandchildren to visit.
Joe was a man of God and a proud patriot. Although never a man of many words, he was a man with a great sense of humor who loved to tell simple dad jokes. From the outside, he may have had the quiet intimidating look, but as everyone got to know him, they would find out he was very loving, caring, and fun hearted. He was a very genuine person, always kind and compassionate to everyone he met. He was the man behind the video camera capturing all the family's and friends' memories. He will be greatly missed.
His service will be held on September 10th at 1pm at Serenity Gardens Funeral Home: 13401 Indian Rocks Rd, Largo, FL 33774. A reception will follow the service.
To view services via livestream please click on the following link.
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