Joseph Robert Pandolfi

EULOGY Joseph R. Pandolfi October 7, 2015 I am Joseph's Aunt Irene. On behalf of Joseph's parents, Bob and Maria, and his older brother, Anthony, we wish to thank you for coming today, and for your kindness and friendship with Joseph throughout his brief but happy life. His burial will be on the 13th of October, exactly one month before his 28th birthday, which we will be unable to celebrate. But, rather than dwell on what we cannot do, I would like to let you know about the wonderful life he was able to live - thanks to his family, and the friendships he made on his life's journey. Born in Fresh Meadows, Queens on the 13th of November, Joseph Robert had to spend 5 days in an incubator since he was a "preemie", born premature at 5lbs. 1 ½ oz. I mention that because if you knew him or viewed Facebook photos where he was flexing his arm muscles, he was dedicated to developing his muscles and chest through exercise, weightlifting, strength - training, swimming and snowboarding. Do you know how many punching bags were replaced after he wore them out?! Joseph was always interested in sports. As a kid, he played basketball, and enjoyed going bowling with his friends. He was an avid sports fan, too - rooting for the New York Teams - the Yankees and Mets, Giants and Jets, and occasionally visiting Citi Field and Met Life Stadium with the guys. As a child, Joseph was a finicky eater. His Mom struggled at mealtimes, hoping he would not stunt his growth due to lack of nutrition! For at least the first 10 years of his life, he would not eat more than 4 or 5 foods which included pizza, bread, hot dogs and french fries, washed down with milk! As he grew older, his tastes gradually matured and food became one of his passions. He developed a love for good food and wanted more variety. Again, his Mom struggled, this time to keep up with cooking all of his favorite food requests. In fact, Joseph became quite a good cook himself! Through his Dad, who has been working with cars all of his life, Joseph developed a knack for cars, as well. For instance, when he was very young, not only could he identify a car's make and model, he would know what car was driving down the street by the sound of the engine! How ‘bout that?! Every year, Joseph went to the New York Auto Show at The Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC with his family. As little boys, Anthony and Joseph would sit in the display cards, smell the upholstery, grip the steering wheel and dream of buying their first cars. When he was very little, he and his brother would play with their Matchbox cars, making engine sounds as they ran through the house. Joseph also enjoyed building model cars from car kits which he then displayed on shelves in his bedroom. He was a fanatic about cars! When he earned enough to buy his first car, he could be seen in the driveway, washing and waxing, cleaning the interior, and making sure the engine was in perfect running condition. According to Anthony, Joe must have waxed his car 10 times this summer alone; … talk about over doing it! Joseph also had great organizational skills. He developed neat habits and kept a neat bedroom, which he likely inherited from his Mom. She told me that he would tell her to take off her shoes before entering his carpeted room! Joseph had many blessing in his life. As a child, he learned to speak Italian with his maternal grandparents, Mario and Carmella Trezza. He enjoyed traveling - going to Italy with his family, spending summers in upstate New York as a child, and taking ocean liner cruises. He told his parents that he had the best time of his life on a vacation to the Punta Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic in 2007. Joseph was blessed with a carefree spirit, a sense of adventure, good looks, and a charming and lovable personality that allowed him to make friends easily. He was very social - enjoying all kinds of music, especially rap and techno, and dancing at the clubs. At his job at the Department of Public Works in Bayville, Long Island, Joseph had a strong work ethic that was apparent to his supervisors. He worked hard and was dedicated to his assignments, eager to learn and be part of the team. He was friendly, and shared great camaraderie with his fellow workers. As a youngster, Joseph always wanted a puppy. The family went to North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, and adopted "Lucky" in 2001, when Joseph was 14 years old. Lucky and Joe ran and played together, and grew up together, too. After Lucky passed last January, again Joseph asked for a puppy. Back to the North Shore Animal League where Joseph found his new puppy, coco, last June. They would run around the yard where Coco chased tennis balls and sticks with hi new pal, Joey. Joseph had a very special bond with his mother. She had an instinct about many of Joseph's needs - especially about what he may want for dinner. If she made and Italian dinner, Joe always told her that's exactly what he was thinking of having! When she told him on the phone "I Love You Joey Baby" his prompt response was always "I Love You Mommy Baby". He was her youngest. At school, Joseph earned an associate's degree from Suffolk County Community College in Selden, Long Island, and then went on to Adelphi University in Garden City, Long Island. Joseph was a happy child who grew into a well-rounded adult with many wonderful life experiences. And judging from the crowd assembled here today, he loved his friends and they loved him more. Thank you all for sharing his life and his friendship. He thought the world of you. God Bless Joseph in eternity. Amen.