Birth date: Aug 9, 1929 Death date: Jan 26, 2022
Joseph (Joe) N. Campochiaro, 92, a longtime resident of Lee County, went home to be with the Lord on January 26, 2022, after a brief illness. Joe was born to Guisppe Campochiaro and Catherina Campochiaro in New Haven, Connecticut Read Obituary
Dear Joe Campochiaro family
We are so sorry to hear about Joe’s passing. He was a very thoughtful and kind gentleman. We became friends 41 years ago and spent many happy times with he and Molly and their lovely family . Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love always, Virginia and Ken Bevillard
I send my condolences to the Campochiaro family.
Joe called me the Saturday before his passing and said, "Marion, get me out of here (hospital). Do what you have to do! I'll pay whatever it takes!" I told him my hands were tied. Well, Joe got his wish. The Lord came and brought him out and took him to heaven. Rest well, Joe.
I send my condolences to the Campochiaro family. Joe was a great neighbor to me.
Le nostre più sentite e vive condoglianze alla famiglia Campochiaro, anche se non ho mai avuto la fortuna di conoscere uncle Giuseppe, rimarrà sempre nei nostri cuori, our deepest sympathies condolences to the Campochiaro family . The Iagrossi family Hamden CT
When I was in the seventh grade our teacher assigned us an essay in which we were to describe a person that we admired. I chose to write about my Uncle Joe. I think, looking back that my parents were a bit miffed that I hadn’t chosen one of them but my mother, my uncle’s older sister, was probably secretly pleased. I don’t remember exactly what I wrote in the essay but I’m sure I talked about how my uncle was fun and funny, how he was impressively tall and always commanded any room he came into. I hope I talked about the things that were important to him then and throughout his life—his family, his devotion to his job, the importance of hard work and of always being honest and kind.
I could not have predicted then how our lives would remain intertwined throughout our lifetimes. I spent many happy summer days in his family’s backyard pool as a young teen. There were glorious golden days of family barbecues held under the patio of his lovely home. When I entered high school, I often babysat my three cousins when my aunt and uncle went out of an evening. One summer he inadvertently became my boss when I worked at a summer program at the ML Keefe School in Hamden, where he was the presiding principal. When I married, my uncle was on the altar as a Deacon. And when my husband and I took our first vacation as a married couple we went to Sanibel Island. My uncle, my aunt Molly, and my three cousins all met us at the airport which, as I remember, was so much smaller and simpler than what it is today. That began our love affair with Florida and for years afterwards, my husband and I would bring our family down to Fort Myers beach and we cousins, along with our ever-expanding broods, would get to know each other as we splashed in the waves, reveled in the sunshine and lost ourselves to the joys of family.
I don’t think Uncle ever got over the loss of his dear wife, Molly. For the past fifteen years he was alone and lonely despite the best efforts of his family. I tried, in my own remote and small way, to send him diversions in the form of various friends who were in the area on business or vacation. They might meet for lunch and Uncle would regale them with stories about his life and experiences but also offer every possible hint and help regarding Fort Myers and its wonders. Many of those friends have contacted me since his passing to tell me how much they enjoyed his company and how grateful they were for his insider tips.
For me, knowing that Uncle was just a phone call away became more and more important as various family members resurfaced or were lost to us through death. Uncle remembered each and every one and he and I would commiserate on the anniversaries of my parents’ deaths or even on the news that so and so had moved, changed jobs, or remarried. His presence was a constant in my life that I shall miss terribly.
The last time I saw Uncle was for his 90th birthday. He was difficult, stubborn, and as loving as ever. He always called me his “favorite niece” and I relished being in his company. He reminded me a great deal of my mother, his sister, in both appearance and in temperament, and those likenesses made me feel like I had “come home.”
Now we have come full circle because, in the end, the circle of life encompasses us all. I am still writing about my favorite uncle, the one I looked up to, the one I admired, and the one I loved. I shall always look upon him as a remarkable human being who reinvented himself countless times but who never forgot who he was, what he believed in, or where he came from. Rest in peace, Uncle. You will not be forgotten, and the love, wisdom, and kindness that you shared with so many will remain your lasting and best gift to us all.
