One of Tampa’s pre-eminent machinist, he worked relentlessly to make a better life for his family. He is predeceased by his wife, Diana Abene; mother, Laura Ficarrotta Abene; father, Frank Abene; and his twin brother, Jack Abene. Joe is survived by his daughter, Jenny Abene Paloumpis (Tom); two grandchildren, Andreas and Laura Paloumpis and a large extended family.
Joe’s wake will be 5pm-7pm Tuesday, January 14th and his funeral will be 10am Wednesday, January 15th at Blount & Curry Funeral Home at Garden of Memories, Tampa.
Joe Abene was a loving father, husband, and grandfather. More than anything he valued hard work and providing for his family. My grandfather was a simple man, as denoted by what he valued and the title he gave himself. He was a machinist who valued his family and his work. While things may have been simple to him, they were complex to others. Fixing a crank shaft or making a wheel spin at the perfect rate to accelerate a car as fast as possible without spinning out? Simple. Rifling his own gun barrels and making every gun he crafted perfection incarnate, simple. Taking care of his family, his wife when she began showing symptoms of dementia? Simple. Joe Abene was a man who saw the right thing to do, the thing he wanted to do, and he did it. I will not say he was perfect, as no man can be, but he strove to do the right thing the right way. Nano always said to me “if you do something, do it right.” Nano lived by that, he honored his commitments and paid his debts.
It seems so simple to look back on who he was now, but it’s incredibly difficult to summarize his past. Sitting down two years ago, we talked about his life at length. From his time serving as a chef in the navy, to starting a automotive shop with his twin brother, Jack, to his upbringing in Ybor filled 15 handwritten pages. That wasn’t even half of his life. I could write and write and write, and nothing would sum it up. He was a mentor, a good man, and the hardest working person I’ve ever met. Joe, my Nano, empowered everyone around him to grow and be responsible for their actions. Never stop climbing, never stop making more of yourself.
