Eugene Walter Joseph

Gene was preceded in death by his parents Carl and Patricia Joseph, his wife Kelly (McGrath) Joseph, and his sister Mary Joseph Rothbart. He is survived by his brother Carl N. Joseph, Jr., his two sisters, Anne Napolitano and Kathleen Joseph, as well as Andrea and Christina Ceruti.

Ever since he was a child, Gene loved being outdoors. He would go winter camping with the boy scouts, ski down double diamond trails, and went rabbit hunting with his dog Vicky. Before and after school, he would tend to the animals on his family’s farm in upstate Conesville, New York. He was athletic, and would do gymnastic floor routines on the sand at the beach. As he got older, he would go deer hunting, snowmobiling, boating, and fishing in his spare time. An avid poker player, he would set up games with his friends and play for hours.

Following in his father’s and brother’s footsteps, Gene enlisted in the Marines. He was a rifleman in the 3rd Battalion 6th Marine Regiment. He was extremely proud of his service and the USMC. He was stationed on Guam, and at Gitmo during his tour (1975-1979), and earned a Meritorious Unit Citation as well as a Rifle Expert badge.

When he returned home, he worked for his father’s company Suburban Sprinklers for many years designing and installing underground irrigation systems. Running multiple crews, he would do golf courses, condos complexes, as well as individual customers.

He came to live with Andrea and Tina in Kensington in January 2008. He still loved to hunt and fish, but gardening became another hobby. He created wildflower, herb, and vegetable gardens in the yard for the family to enjoy. Family vacations with the truck and RV became an annual thing.

Gene loved having fun. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and would make people laugh with whatever came into his quick mind. He was a loyal friend to many people, always there if someone needed help. His kind nature made people like him immediately, and his laugh was always contagious.

Rescue dogs were always an important part of Gene’s life. He would take them with him when he went boating, fishing, and RVing. When asked how he got his dogs to stay with him when they were off-leash, he would say “I just give them a lot of love, so they want to be with me.”

A private interment with military honors will be held at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown.

A Celebration of Life party will be held at the Timberlin Pavilion located at Timberlin Golf Course and Park 330 Southington Rd. Berlin, CT 06037 on May 30, 2026 from 12-4pm. Please RSVP by using the following link: https://celebrategenejoseph.rsvpify.com

In lieu of flowers please direct memorial contributions in Gene's memory to Dog Star Rescue by visiting: https://dogstarrescue.org/about/donate/

The DellaVecchia Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. To leave a message of remembrance for the family please visit: www.DellaVecchiaSouthington.com