1931
Joseph
2005
Joseph Anthony Desisto
April 16, 1931 — October 10, 2005
Joseph A. DeSisto of Stoneham passed away on Monday, October 10, 2005 at Lahey Hitchcock Medical Center in Burlington. He was 74 years of age.
Joseph was born in Boston and was raised in Somerville. He was the fifth child of ten to Carlo and Jenny DeSisto on Somerville. His father immigrated to the United States from Calore, Italy in 1914 through Ellis Island. Joe's long-life work ethic started at an early age shining shoes on Mt. Pleasant St. in Somerville. He would return home every Saturday and turn his earnings over to his mother.
When Marilyn Monroe visited the troops with the USO, Mr. DeSisto called out to Ms. Monroe, "Hey, Marilyn, Where's Joe?" referring to her then husband Joe DiMaggio.
Joseph married Virginia Connell of Somerville in 1957 and settled in Stoneham where he sold his brand new 1957 Oldsmobile to put a down payment on the house they shared together for their 48 years of marriage. They had four children, Diane, Julie, Lisa and Joe Jr.
Like his father before him, Joe worked for United Farmers delivering milk through the streets of the North End and Roxbury on horse and wagon. He also worked for Whitings and Hood during the 1960's and 1970's before leaving the milk business.
In 1975 he went to work for the Town of Stoneham where he served as the Town's Veterans Agent until his retirement in 1993. He served as the President of the Massachusetts Veterans Agent Association from 1987-1988 and received The Governor's Distinguished Service Award from Governor Michael Dukakis.
In his role as Veterans Agent, and after his retirement, he played a lead role in the organization of Stoneham's Annual Memorial Day Parade. During his tenure as Veterans Agent, he was instrumental in the fundraising, construction, and dedication of Stoneham's Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Mr. DeSisto was incredibly active after this retirement, working as a driver for Pike Transportation of Winchester, where he bragged about his children and grandchildren to the hundreds of executives he drove to and from Logan Airport. He also worked at Fenway Park until this year where he served as the greeter at the .406 Club.
In addition to the time he spent with his family attending many of his grandchildren's sporting events, he had many hobbies he was passionate about including foreign cinema, the music of the 1940's and 50's with Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Rosselli as just two of his many favorites. He also enjoyed thoroughbred racing, flea markets, the Red Sox and the Patriots.
Joe and his wife were very active in the St. Patrick of Stoneham Parish. Through the years, he was a CCD instructor, active in the marriage preparation program, organized the "Top Ten" dances in the 1970's, and most recently was a volunteer in the Church's food group program.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia, four children, Diane McCarthy of Stoneham, Julie Joyce and her husband Tim of Reading, Lisa (DeSisto) Padgett and her husband Timothy of Wakefield, and Joseph DeSisto Jr. and his wife Betty of South Berwick, Maine, and eight grandchildren, Kevin, Jamie and Brian McCarthy, Jocelyn, Emily and Julia DeSisto, and Lindsey and Cara Joyce.
He is also survived by his brothers and sisters Concetta Trani of Reading, Anna Johnedis of Woburn, Carmen DeSisto of Raynham, Rosemary Stone of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Carl DeSisto Jr. of Stoneham, and Paul DeSisto of Tewksbury.
Joseph was pre-deceased by his brothers Pasquale and Salvatore and his sister Catherine Black.
Funeral from the Barile Family Funeral Home 482 Main St. (RT 28) STONEHAM Thursday at 8am followed by a Funeral Mass celebrating Joseph's life in St. Patrick's Church, 71 Central St. Stoneham at 10am. Family and friends are kindly invited to attend Visiting Hours Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9pm. Parking attendants will be on duty. Interment St. Patrick's Cemetery, Stoneham.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Joseph to St. Patrick Food Group of Stoneham or to the St. Patrick Holiday Helpers, 9 Pomeworth St. Stoneham, MA 02180.
Joseph was born in Boston and was raised in Somerville. He was the fifth child of ten to Carlo and Jenny DeSisto on Somerville. His father immigrated to the United States from Calore, Italy in 1914 through Ellis Island. Joe's long-life work ethic started at an early age shining shoes on Mt. Pleasant St. in Somerville. He would return home every Saturday and turn his earnings over to his mother.
When Marilyn Monroe visited the troops with the USO, Mr. DeSisto called out to Ms. Monroe, "Hey, Marilyn, Where's Joe?" referring to her then husband Joe DiMaggio.
Joseph married Virginia Connell of Somerville in 1957 and settled in Stoneham where he sold his brand new 1957 Oldsmobile to put a down payment on the house they shared together for their 48 years of marriage. They had four children, Diane, Julie, Lisa and Joe Jr.
Like his father before him, Joe worked for United Farmers delivering milk through the streets of the North End and Roxbury on horse and wagon. He also worked for Whitings and Hood during the 1960's and 1970's before leaving the milk business.
In 1975 he went to work for the Town of Stoneham where he served as the Town's Veterans Agent until his retirement in 1993. He served as the President of the Massachusetts Veterans Agent Association from 1987-1988 and received The Governor's Distinguished Service Award from Governor Michael Dukakis.
In his role as Veterans Agent, and after his retirement, he played a lead role in the organization of Stoneham's Annual Memorial Day Parade. During his tenure as Veterans Agent, he was instrumental in the fundraising, construction, and dedication of Stoneham's Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Mr. DeSisto was incredibly active after this retirement, working as a driver for Pike Transportation of Winchester, where he bragged about his children and grandchildren to the hundreds of executives he drove to and from Logan Airport. He also worked at Fenway Park until this year where he served as the greeter at the .406 Club.
In addition to the time he spent with his family attending many of his grandchildren's sporting events, he had many hobbies he was passionate about including foreign cinema, the music of the 1940's and 50's with Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Rosselli as just two of his many favorites. He also enjoyed thoroughbred racing, flea markets, the Red Sox and the Patriots.
Joe and his wife were very active in the St. Patrick of Stoneham Parish. Through the years, he was a CCD instructor, active in the marriage preparation program, organized the "Top Ten" dances in the 1970's, and most recently was a volunteer in the Church's food group program.
He is survived by his wife, Virginia, four children, Diane McCarthy of Stoneham, Julie Joyce and her husband Tim of Reading, Lisa (DeSisto) Padgett and her husband Timothy of Wakefield, and Joseph DeSisto Jr. and his wife Betty of South Berwick, Maine, and eight grandchildren, Kevin, Jamie and Brian McCarthy, Jocelyn, Emily and Julia DeSisto, and Lindsey and Cara Joyce.
He is also survived by his brothers and sisters Concetta Trani of Reading, Anna Johnedis of Woburn, Carmen DeSisto of Raynham, Rosemary Stone of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Carl DeSisto Jr. of Stoneham, and Paul DeSisto of Tewksbury.
Joseph was pre-deceased by his brothers Pasquale and Salvatore and his sister Catherine Black.
Funeral from the Barile Family Funeral Home 482 Main St. (RT 28) STONEHAM Thursday at 8am followed by a Funeral Mass celebrating Joseph's life in St. Patrick's Church, 71 Central St. Stoneham at 10am. Family and friends are kindly invited to attend Visiting Hours Wednesday 2-4 & 7-9pm. Parking attendants will be on duty. Interment St. Patrick's Cemetery, Stoneham.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Joseph to St. Patrick Food Group of Stoneham or to the St. Patrick Holiday Helpers, 9 Pomeworth St. Stoneham, MA 02180.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joseph Anthony Desisto, please visit our flower store.
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