Joseph F. "Respiratory Joe" PESTRITTO

PESTRITTO, Joseph F. aka "Respiratory Joe" passed away on May 30, 2017 in Tucson, Arizona. Joe was born in Camden, New Jersey on December 8, 1948 along with his twin brother, the late Thomas J. Pestritto. His parents, Thomas J. and M. Marie Pestritto, née Cicerone predeceased him. Throughout his life, Joe excelled academically. He graduated from Camden Catholic High School in 1967 as a National Honor Society straight A student. Joseph was also a member of the cross-country track team. He worked as a lifeguard in Pennsauken and parked cars at the Cherry Hill Inn ("the best job I ever had") to earn money for college. Joe graduated from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey Camden Campus, in 1971 with a BA in economics. He landed a job at Liberty Mutual, but soon left to become a respiratory therapist at the urging of his best friend Joe "Mac" McNulty. Joe was self-taught in respiratory and passed his certification test with the highest grade in the state of New Jersey. He admired intelligent people, and he placed the utmost value on education throughout his life. "Respiratory Joe" worked for 40 years in various locations including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Arkansas and Arizona. He preferred to work in critical care areas, especially the Neonatal Intensive Care and ER units where he saved many lives. Joe was a disciple of Prem Rawat ("Premie"). Under Prem Rawat's tutelage Joe obtained Knowledge and found peace in meditation. "Jai sat chit anand" (Pure awareness of the eternal is bliss). Joe loved the great outdoors: riding his motorcycle, hiking the John Muir Trail in California, swimming at the Jersey Shore, white water rafting in Arkansas and hiking in Sedona. He was an avid fan of Philadelphia sports: the Eagles, the Phillies, and the Flyers and loved to Monday morning quarterback with family members and friends after the games. He enjoyed music, movies, Howard Stern, and Philadelphia Sports Talk Radio. Joe was loyal to his friends and gave freely of his help and encouragement when they were going through difficult times. Left to cherish Joe's memory and his life are his loving partner of 17 years, Susan Lindgren of Tucson, Arizona; sisters, RoseAnn Costa and husband, Noel of NC and Norma Salerno of NJ; brother, Steven Pestritto and wife, Laurie of NJ and sister-in-law, Ruth Pestritto of NJ; nephews and nieces, Paul and wife, Kimberly, Maria and husband, Bill, Michael and wife, Terri-Lee, Tom and wife, Melissa, Angela, Felicia and husband, Jim, Danny, Kenny, Renee, Steven, Sheryl, Kristen and husband, Jonathan, Chelsea, Paul, Jr., Lauren, Jessica and husband, Anthony, Emily, Carrie, Brianna, Sarah, Brandon, Andrew, Noah, Tommy, Steven, Sophia, Quinn and Clayton. Donations may be made in Joe's memory to Our Lady of Lourdes Health Foundation, NICU Fund, 1600 Haddon Ave., Camden, NJ 08103. A Celebration of Joe's life will be held at a later date in South Jersey. Arrangements by AVENIDAS CREMATION & BURIAL.