Joseph J. Donofrio

Born March 7, 1942 in Jamaica Queens, New York, died January 17, 2020 in Saddle River, New Jersey following a 2 year battle with lung cancer. He was raised in Rockaway, New York and spent summers at the D'Onofrio family cottage in Beaver Lake, New Jersey from age 9 until the Summer of 2019.

He was educated at St. Raymonds Parochial School in East Rockaway, New York and St. John's Prep in Brooklyn, New York. He was a proud graduate of the University of Notre Dame (Class of 1963) in South Bend, Indiana where he was First Trumpet for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Marching Band. He received his Doctorate from Columbia University School of Dentristy in New York, New York in 1967.

On July 30, 1966 he married the lovely Joanne Marie Louden and following his graduation from Columbia, was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the United States Coast Guard and stationed in Mobile, Alabama where he began his career drilling teeth. In Mobile, the couple welcomed their two sons Joseph John Jr. and Andrew Luke and following his Coast Guard service, moved back to the Northeast, residing at Beaver Lake, New Jersey.

In 1969 he opened his dental practice in Oak Ridge, New Jersey. He continued his teeth drilling exploits, working on his beloved patients who affectionately referred to him as Dr. Pain

In 1972 the family moved to Sparta, New Jersey where his favorite daughter Jennifer Ann was born.

He was predeceased by his parents Vivian and Luke D'Onofrio and is survived by his wife, his children, his sister Nina Louise Fradl and his six amazing grand children (whom lovingly refered to him as a rockstar and Crazy Grandpa). Luka Papike, Zoe Papike, Skylar Papike, Lily D'Onofrio, Madelyn D'Onofrio

& Emily D'Onofrio

He loved life and lived it to the fullest. He loved golfing ( he could broadly boast of a career 7 holes in one), boating and water skiing on Lake Mohawk, snow skiing with his friends and family in Vermont, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, and California. He will be fondly remembered as the lead-off batter for the Downing Furniture Softball Team and rarely missed a home Pope John XXIII High School Football game . Even with his diagnosis, he never missed a day at work, going to the gym, enjoying a glass of wine and spending time with family and friends.

He loved being a dentist, sipping Chivas Regal on the rocks, campaigning for his favorite political candiates, lecturing listeners on his opinions on various subjects and collecting and mentoring friends all over the world.

In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations in his name to Villa Marie Claire Hospice, 12 West Saddle River Road, Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 and Memorial Sloan Kettering , 1275 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065

A viewing will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 294 Sparta Avenue, Sparta, New Jersey, on Wednesday, January 22, 2020 from 3 pm to 5 pm and 7 pm to 9 pm. A funeral mass will be celebrated on Thursday, January 23, 2020 at 10 am at Our Lady of the Lake.

Services are under the direction the Goble Funeral Home, 22 Main St, Sparta, NJ 07871.