Joseph William Maresco was born September 21, 1926 in New York City and died in Phoenix, Arizona on December 8, 2018. He moved to Phoenix in 1946 and went to work for the Olsen Leather Company in Phoenix where he learned the leather business. When the Olsens retired and closed their business in 1976 Joe opened his own business at his home in a small shop. Joe was known in the saddle and leather business for his tooling and saddles. He primarily supplied ranchers and horse owners with their needs in
new merchandise and repair work. These included saddles, pack outfits, cowboy and roping gear all
done by hand in his little shop. There was never any job or repair work that Joe would turn down if one of his cowboy or ranch friends needed gear, or help. Sometimes if they were short he would just do the work and figured he would get paid sometime. His work was his love and his life. He was a generous and caring person and was of the old school of western saddle makers who are now hard to find. He was a great artisan and a person who will be severely missed by his many friends and neighbors. He never married and was a confirmed bachelor and lived frugally. He served in the Arizona Army National Guard for several
years. Joe is survived by a sister, Dolores Gray, who resides out of state.
Joe is being placed in a crypt at Greenwood Memory Lawn, 2300 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85009, next to his parents. A memorial service will take place at the Cemetery’s Serenity Chapel at 10:00 A.M. on December 28, 2018.
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