Obituary for Joseph P Messineo
Joseph “Pino” Messineo, 1935-2019
On Tuesday, November 5th, 2019, two long lost loves were reunited in heaven. Joseph P. Messineo, Patriarch of the Messineo Family, and resident of Fairfield, New Jersey for over 50 years was reunited with his wife Grace Ann after a three-year separation.
Joe and Grace Ann met in 1961 and fell madly in love. The love affair lasted over 50 years and the two were inseparable; true soulmates in every sense of the word. Grace Ann was an amazing woman – full of life and love; Joseph, on the other hand, was the perfect match – more reserved – allowing his “Dear” to always be ‘front and center’. But despite his low-key demeanor, he too touched the lives of everyone he met with the same love and compassion. They taught their sons and everyone around them the importance of family and the meaning of unconditional love.
In their golden years, Joe and Grace spent much of their time reinforcing those values and the Messineo’s spent as much time together as a family as possible. Grace Ann cared for him as Joseph cared for her until just three years ago, when Grace Ann was called to heaven. Joseph and his three sons, Joseph, Frankie and Marc, carried on; holding on to the traditions and strengthe ning the bonds of family, love, and respect. Joseph, however, would never be the same; the wounds from losing his one true love affected his health and a marathon of ailments ensued.
The Messineo’s, extended family and all, got together this past Sunday as a family, to celebrate the third anniversary of Grace Ann’s passing. Joseph was there and they all had such a great day; they ate, they drank, they laughed and they loved, just as Grace Ann would have wanted it. And so it is with a sense of irony, tragedy and poetry, that on Tuesday, around 1pm, three years to the date of her passing, that Joseph himself, passed away at 84 years of age. And he did so, doing what he loved, picking figs from his tree…there was nothing that Joseph loved more (besides his wife and family) than toiling in his garden or working around the house. He often said, if I can’t do those things that I love, then you might as well put me in a box. For three years, he missed his wife, he loved the mother of his children and talked to her every day. One might say he was ready…one might say that she called him…whatever the reasons, they are together again, walking hand-in-hand and they are at peace once more.
Joseph & Grace leave behind a legacy of a lifetime, loving sons Joseph, Frankie and Marc; grandsons Daniel and Noah; daughter’s-in-law Lauren and Deanne; sons-in-law Glenn and Jimmy, sister-in-law Jane, nieces Dianne, Karen, Susanne and Amy; and the rest of the family, Maryanne, Nancy, Antoinette, Carolyn, and Steve.
Their love of life and family will continue to be a symbol of inspiration about how we should all love one another without reservation and how we should cherish the precious time we have.
A memorial gathering to celebrate Joseph’s life is planned for Friday, 4:00pm-8:00pm at Caggiano Memorial Funeral Home at 62 Grove Street in Montclair, NJ. More detailed information can be found on the website at www.caggianomemorial.com
In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that you reach out to your loved ones and hold them close, tell them you love them, tell them you’re sorry and be reminded that life is short and that “Family is Everything.”
On Tuesday, November 5th, 2019, two long lost loves were reunited in heaven. Joseph P. Messineo, Patriarch of the Messineo Family, and resident of Fairfield, New Jersey for over 50 years was reunited with his wife Grace Ann after a three-year separation.
Joe and Grace Ann met in 1961 and fell madly in love. The love affair lasted over 50 years and the two were inseparable; true soulmates in every sense of the word. Grace Ann was an amazing woman – full of life and love; Joseph, on the other hand, was the perfect match – more reserved – allowing his “Dear” to always be ‘front and center’. But despite his low-key demeanor, he too touched the lives of everyone he met with the same love and compassion. They taught their sons and everyone around them the importance of family and the meaning of unconditional love.
In their golden years, Joe and Grace spent much of their time reinforcing those values and the Messineo’s spent as much time together as a family as possible. Grace Ann cared for him as Joseph cared for her until just three years ago, when Grace Ann was called to heaven. Joseph and his three sons, Joseph, Frankie and Marc, carried on; holding on to the traditions and strengthe ning the bonds of family, love, and respect. Joseph, however, would never be the same; the wounds from losing his one true love affected his health and a marathon of ailments ensued.
The Messineo’s, extended family and all, got together this past Sunday as a family, to celebrate the third anniversary of Grace Ann’s passing. Joseph was there and they all had such a great day; they ate, they drank, they laughed and they loved, just as Grace Ann would have wanted it. And so it is with a sense of irony, tragedy and poetry, that on Tuesday, around 1pm, three years to the date of her passing, that Joseph himself, passed away at 84 years of age. And he did so, doing what he loved, picking figs from his tree…there was nothing that Joseph loved more (besides his wife and family) than toiling in his garden or working around the house. He often said, if I can’t do those things that I love, then you might as well put me in a box. For three years, he missed his wife, he loved the mother of his children and talked to her every day. One might say he was ready…one might say that she called him…whatever the reasons, they are together again, walking hand-in-hand and they are at peace once more.
Joseph & Grace leave behind a legacy of a lifetime, loving sons Joseph, Frankie and Marc; grandsons Daniel and Noah; daughter’s-in-law Lauren and Deanne; sons-in-law Glenn and Jimmy, sister-in-law Jane, nieces Dianne, Karen, Susanne and Amy; and the rest of the family, Maryanne, Nancy, Antoinette, Carolyn, and Steve.
Their love of life and family will continue to be a symbol of inspiration about how we should all love one another without reservation and how we should cherish the precious time we have.
A memorial gathering to celebrate Joseph’s life is planned for Friday, 4:00pm-8:00pm at Caggiano Memorial Funeral Home at 62 Grove Street in Montclair, NJ. More detailed information can be found on the website at www.caggianomemorial.com
In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that you reach out to your loved ones and hold them close, tell them you love them, tell them you’re sorry and be reminded that life is short and that “Family is Everything.”