Joseph A. Tavani

TAVANI, Joseph A. Died peacefully in his sleep from complications from pancreatic cancer on January 7, 2011. He is survived by his loving wife Ruth (nee Lewis). They have six children, Carol of Oaklyn, the late Joseph, John, Richard, Kenneth and Steven, all of Voorhees and Susan of Berlin. Devoted grandfather of Kyle, Katie, Rachel and Emmalyn. Joseph was the son of Phillip and Florence Tavani and the brother of Phillip Tavani, Jr. of Washington Twp. Joseph was an outstanding athlete at Collingswood High School. An accomplished center fielder, he was a member of the 1949 South Jersey Group 4 Baseball Championship Team, but also a member of the Group 4 Football Championship Team and a member of the Collingswood Athletic Hall of Fame. After high school, he played for the Boston Braves and Cleveland Indians Minor League Teams. After a one year stint at Gordon Military College, where he started on the football team, he returned to South Jersey and attended Rutgers University in Camden. While at Rutgers, he was a member of the varsity baseball team, Kappa Sigma Upsilon Fraternity and served as Student Council Treasurer. He graduated in 1955. He was active in the Ashland Little League in the 1970s and 1980s, serving as president. He retired as a corporate chemist for American Banknote. He was a member of the Ashland Evangelical Presbyterian Church for many years, where he served as a Trustee and as member of the choir. Relatives and friends are invited to the viewing 7-9pm Sunday at the BRADLEY FUNERAL HOME, Rt 73 & Evesham Rd,. Marlton. There will also be a viewing 11am-12noon Monday at Ashland Evangelical Presbyterian Church, 33 Evesham Rd., Voorhees, NJ 08043. The Funeral Service will be 12noon Monday at the Church. Interment Locustwood Memorial Park, Cherry Hill. If desired donations in Mr. Tavani's memory may be made to the Ashland Evangelical Presbyterian Church (in Memo section-African Book Challenge Fund).