Joe's earliest memory of being alive revolved around carrying sticks to the basement to maintain the furnace—a shared duty in those days, the wood was also needed to boil his bath water.  The house that stands out in Joe's recollection is his parents' residence at 19 Cleveland St, North Providence. It boasted two stories, with Joe's family occupying the upper floor and renting out the lower one. Interestingly, the house was designed by his future wife's uncle, while Joe's father personally constructed it.  Despite a mishap with the delivery of incorrect bricks to the site, his father managed to acquire them inexpensively. Equipped with modern amenities like running water, electricity, and indoor plumbing, the house was a testament to progress. The decision to construct a two-story dwelling stemmed from the intention for Joe's family to inhabit the upper level while leasing the lower floor to another family, a strategic move to offset the mortgage.

In 1937, Joe's family acquired their first car, a Pontiac. It marked a significant milestone as Joe's dad had never operated a vehicle prior to this one. In 1938, the family welcomed their first radio into the household, tuning in for their inaugural broadcast of news and weather—a memorable moment for Joe. His earliest encounter with a telephone occurred around the age of 11 or 12, likely reaching out to a school friend or relative. Before the advent of their refrigerator in the same year, 1938, they relied on regular deliveries from the ice man to keep their perishables cool in an icebox. The sight of his first airplane in 1939 left an indelible mark on Joe's memory; he marveled at its design, noting the radiator positioned right behind the propeller of the authentic biplane. Within the confines of their home, a root cellar served as a sanctuary for storing all manner of foodstuffs before the refrigerator's arrival. Joe's mother, resourceful as ever, would order barrels of apples and flour, ensuring sustenance through the winter months. These provisions found their place alongside other goods in the root cellar until the refrigerator took over the task of preservation.  

Joe got a letter in the mail telling him the day to show up to be examined for his physical for the Army. After his physical he had to report to Centerdale RI, and then he was transported with all the other boys from town to a building in Providence where they were put on a train to Fort Devens Ma. Most of the boys, including Joe were anxious to get over there. Joe said that the worst thing in the world at that time was to be 4F and not able to go and fight for his country. Joe thought about going into the Navy but they would not except him because of his flat feet. So naturally the Army put Joe in the infantry with his flat feet and all! Fort Devens Ma was a hell hole, from there we went to Fort Mead Maryland for training. —The happiest time with his family was when he returned from the service and WWII.  

I first met Rose when her family moved into the first floor of our house. We really were not attracted to each other early on, but when we got older and I saw her dating someone else, I made my move! I was about 20 years old and Rose was 16. As we got to know each other, we decided that she was it, and she decided that I was it, so we stayed together. 

Stay tuned...

To be continued

More to come.....

Stay tuned.....

To be continued.....

More to come.....

Joe was remarkably healthy throughout his life, akin to Superman in his robustness. Approaching the age of 98, he only required one pill for high blood pressure. His medical history consisted of a TURP procedure on his prostate at 72, and a solitary major surgery to remove his gallbladder at 77, and elective knee surgery at 90. The only notable incident was an almost deadly bee sting at 45. Joe enjoyed pasta and pork chops over beef, and he maintained a balanced diet with plenty of greens.  Although he never frequented a gym, his active lifestyle, which included gardening and yard work, kept him in excellent shape. While he smoked until his 50s, it seemingly had little impact on his health.

In the days preceding Joe's burial, everything seemed to blur together. Dad and Elinor had meticulously planned all of their arrangements beforehand. As a family, we gathered to compose his obituary and ensured he received the military funeral befitting his service in WWII. Unexpectedly, a priest from a different parish conducted the service at dad's wake in the absence of his Parish priest. Little did we realize what a blessing this was.  

Dad and Kara had often discussed death and the afterlife. Despite the hardships he endured during the war, he remained the most loving, grounded, and joyful person a child could ask for in a father. He had unwavering faith in his destination after death and promised Kara a sign if possible. True to his word, he delivered.