Joseph T. Corris

Born on March 5th, 1929 in Jersey City, he grew up in Bloomfield and graduated from Bloomfield High School where he excelled in multiple sports and loved to retell the stories of his athletic days. Joe was a veteran who served as a corporal in the United States Army during the Korean War. He met the love of his life, Nancy, in a bowling league and they enjoyed 58 years of marriage, raising their family in Belleville prior to moving to Toms River later in life. While raising their young family, he worked multiple jobs, including part time bartending and playing the piano while attending night school. He earned his B.S. in accounting from Fairleigh Dickenson University, and enjoyed a career in accounting and office management, eventually retiring from Potamkin Chevrolet in North Plainfield. In his retirement, he loved to visit Atlantic City with Nancy, enjoyed crossword and jigsaw puzzles, playing cards, and attending countless events for all his grandchildren, always cheering from the sidelines for everyone. He had immense pride in his four daughters, their husbands and children, and in recent years his great-grandchildren.

Joe had a passion for music and song and was a self-taught musician, mastering the piano and accordion, while also playing the harmonica, ukulele, and banjo. He received a piano as a wedding gift from his wife, and that piano filled his home with 70 years of music and love. For nearly every family party, the accordion was requested to accompany him, and over the years he was the life of the party basking in the applause. Upon request, he could play and sing hundreds of songs from his youth, word for word from memory. He often sang in his sleep and woke up singing, which made him and those around him happy and ready to face each day. He was still singing and playing the piano at the age of ninety-six! Joe’s repeated singing of “take me out to the ball game” as his months and days drew short captured the essence of his fun-loving spirit throughout his long life: basking in the sun with song, watching a game with snacks in hand while cheering for others, and seizing the simplest of moments in life with a smile and crowd of people he loved around him.

Although his memory faded over the years, he never lost his love for life and family. He had unending joy and an infectious smile, never missing the opportunity to say ‘I love you’. He sang songs to everyone, including the doctors and nurses in the hospital. Joe complemented anyone he met, especially on their smiles, which made them smile even more. His happiness and joy brought tears to the eyes of many strangers who had never encountered someone quite like him. He had a sparkle in his eyes and was genuinely grateful for the smallest act of kindness shown to him. Joe set an amazing example to all who met him with his fierce determination, showing gratitude and embracing each day. No matter how old and tired his body became, he worked hard to do his best every day that he was given.

He was a charming, modest, humble, and wonderful man who enriched our hearts with joy, laughter, smiles and music, and he filled our souls with love. We have been blessed to be part of his journey and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Joe was predeceased by his beloved wife Nancy (Kastner), his parents Charles and Lillian (Beck) Corris, and three siblings: Charles Corris, Lillian Corris, and Evelyn Hancheck.

Joe is survived by four loving daughters and their husbands: Cindy and Pete Jacovinich of Woodbridge, Sandra and Doug Blischok of Berkeley Heights, Stacey & Jim Relyea of Rockaway, Shannon and Scott van den Berg of Toms River. He also leaves his sister Kathleen Seale of Florham Park, brother-in-law John Mauritz of Massachusetts and many caring nieces and nephews. He has nine adoring grandchildren: PJ (Ava), Stacey (Tommy), Brianna, Daniel, Savannah, Cory, Kyra, Erin, and Kimberly, and two great grandchildren Milo and Salvatore. He served as “Grandpa” to so many others who loved to visit and care for him.

Visitation will be on Monday, December 29th from 9:00 – 11:30: Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home 26 Mule Road, Toms River, NJ Mass of Christian Burial on Monday December 29th at 12:00: St. Maximilian Kolbe RC Church, 130 Saint Maximilian Lane, Toms River, NJ Burial will be private on Tuesday, December 30th at the NJ Veteran’s Cemetery, Arneytown, NJ.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be made in his name to the South Toms River First Aid & Rescue Squad Inc. You can mail a check Payable to "South Toms River Manitou First Aid Squad" and send to: P.O. Box 57 Beachwood, NJ 08722 or via their website: South Toms River EMS