Joseph Daniel Viglione Sr.

MATAMORAS — Mr. Joseph Daniel Viglione Sr., of Matamoras and a long-time resident of the area, died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014, at Orange Regional Medical Center, Middletown, New York. He was 86.

He was born on Nov. 14, 1927, in Bangor, a son of the late Danato "Daniel" Viglione and the late Concetta "Gussie" Tumolo Viglione.

Joe proudly served his country by enlisting in the U.S. Navy from 1945 to 1946.

He married Theresa McDonagh and they were married for 55 years prior to her death on Oct. 1, 2010.

Joe was a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Matamoras, where he served as an ecumenical minister and lector.

Since 1939, Joe was a life member of the musicians' union and played the tenor saxophone in dance bands throughout the Pocono and Lehigh Valley areas for many years. He was a member of the Moravian College class of 1951 and played varsity football as an offensive and defensive tackle. He also belonged to the political science club.

From 1951 to 1954, he taught and coached at Camden Regional High School in Camden, New Jersey. From 1954 to 1955, he taught and coached at La Plata High School, La Plata, Maryland, and from 1955 until his retirement in 1984, he taught and coached at Port Jervis High School.

In 1958, he organized and started the Port Jervis Pop Warner football league. Eventually this led to the growth of youth football in the Tri-State area as well as all of Orange County. During these years, he was president of the Port Jervis Teachers Association as well as a member of the NY State Teachers Association. He was a past Grand Knight and member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 471, Port Jervis, New York, and the life member of the Port Jervis Elks Lodge No. 645.

He was elected to the Matamoras Borough Council and served for 25 years on the advisory board for Mercy Community/Bon Secours Community Hospital, Port Jervis. He also served as the chairman of the dinner dance committee for four years. He chaired the memorial donations committee for St. Francis/Mercy Community Hospital for the renovations and the new building fund. He was the co-chairman for the campaign to build the new St. Joseph's Church in Matamoras with the Rev. Raymond O'Neill.

From 1983 through 1986, Joe owned and managed the restaurant "Vig's Huddle" in Matamoras. In 1987, he was invited to become a teacher and football coach at Warwick High School in Warwick, New York. He retired in 1992. In 1996 he was the offensive coordinator for the 16-0 league champion Orange County Bulldogs semi-pro football team. His football career records in Orange County include more than 20 division, league, sectional and intersectional championships.

Surviving are son, J. Daniel Viglione Jr. and his wife, Christina, Hilliard, Ohio; son, J. David Viglione and his wife, Teresa, Middletown; daughter, Jean Viglione Joyce and her husband, Patrick, Kingston; sister-in-law, Barbara Walker, Minneapolis; brother-in-law, Joseph McDonagh, Columbia, South Carolina; grandson, Timothy Patrick Joyce, Kingston; grandson, Aron Alexander, Columbus, Ohio; granddaughter, Casey Lynn Joyce, Kingston; great-grandson, Gaige Alexander, Columbus; several nieces and nephews; and his beloved cat, Lady.

Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Monday at Gray-Parker Funeral Home, 100 E. Main St., Port Jervis. Funeral services will be held with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, 307 Avenue F, Matamoras, with the Rev. James Walsh officiating. A private burial will be at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cemetery, Roseto.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Red & Black Touchdown Club, P.O. Box 326, Port Jervis, NY 12771; the PJYFL (Port Jervis Youth Football League), P.O. Box 3115, Port Jervis, NY 12771; or Mark Ropke Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Port Jervis City School District, 9 Thompson St., Port Jervis, NY 12771.

Funeral arrangements are by the Gray-Parker Funeral Home, 100 E. Main St., Port Jervis, NY 12771, 845-856-5191.

For additional information, directions or to send a condolence note to the family, visit www.grayparkerfuneralhome.