Obituary for Joseph F Connelly
Joseph Francis Connelly, 55, of Rutherford, died November 4 after years of fighting Type 1 Diabetes.
Joe was a loving and beloved father to Caitlyn, and will be deeply missed by his sister, Margaret Hoeltke of Buffalo, N.Y., her husband Ron and brothers Richard of Houston, TX, his wife Bobette, James of Quakertown, PA, his wife Laurie, Michael of Rutherford and his wife Joanne.
He also leaves behind his former wife Stacey, who remained close to him and helped immensely as he endured his health problems. They loved each other to the end.
Joe and Mike, the two youngest in the family, were called "the little guys" growing up and had a special bond. Mike and Joanne went beyond the extra mile taking care of Joe.
Joe loved kids and was a great uncle to Kelly and Bobby of New York, Patrick of Texas, Chris, Courtney and Patrick of Pennsylvania, and Shawn, Jamie and Tricia from Rutherford.
Joe was a friendly, gentle, artistic soul, very smart and very funny. He had many passions in addition to his family: the Grateful Dead, sculpture, painting, vinyl records, Notre Dame football, the Giants and the Mets. He no doubt found it appropriate that he lived just long enough to see the Mets come up short and frustrate him one last time, in true Mets fashion.
A graduate of St. Mary's High School in Rutherford, Joe was a real-life McGyver who loved to tinker and create. Perhaps not the neatest man ever, his living and working spaces were usually crammed with his creations. He worked at Imtech Graphics of Carlstadt and lived in Iselin and Lodi in addition to Rutherford.
Joe joins his mother Kate, father Frank and nephew Patrick of Pennsylvania.
A service will be held Thursday, November 12, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Calhoun-Mania Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Avenue, Rutherford.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Diabetes Association.
Joe was a loving and beloved father to Caitlyn, and will be deeply missed by his sister, Margaret Hoeltke of Buffalo, N.Y., her husband Ron and brothers Richard of Houston, TX, his wife Bobette, James of Quakertown, PA, his wife Laurie, Michael of Rutherford and his wife Joanne.
He also leaves behind his former wife Stacey, who remained close to him and helped immensely as he endured his health problems. They loved each other to the end.
Joe and Mike, the two youngest in the family, were called "the little guys" growing up and had a special bond. Mike and Joanne went beyond the extra mile taking care of Joe.
Joe loved kids and was a great uncle to Kelly and Bobby of New York, Patrick of Texas, Chris, Courtney and Patrick of Pennsylvania, and Shawn, Jamie and Tricia from Rutherford.
Joe was a friendly, gentle, artistic soul, very smart and very funny. He had many passions in addition to his family: the Grateful Dead, sculpture, painting, vinyl records, Notre Dame football, the Giants and the Mets. He no doubt found it appropriate that he lived just long enough to see the Mets come up short and frustrate him one last time, in true Mets fashion.
A graduate of St. Mary's High School in Rutherford, Joe was a real-life McGyver who loved to tinker and create. Perhaps not the neatest man ever, his living and working spaces were usually crammed with his creations. He worked at Imtech Graphics of Carlstadt and lived in Iselin and Lodi in addition to Rutherford.
Joe joins his mother Kate, father Frank and nephew Patrick of Pennsylvania.
A service will be held Thursday, November 12, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Calhoun-Mania Funeral Home, 19 Lincoln Avenue, Rutherford.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Diabetes Association.
