Joseph J. Javaruski

Joseph J. Javaruski

AGE: 89 • Barnegat

Joseph J. Javaruski, 89, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 23, 2012, surrounded by his daughter, Judy Coseglia and son-in-law, Freddie in Scottsdale, AZ. Joe was born July 24, 1922 in Staten Island, NY, the son of the late Joseph and Rosemary Javaruski. He was married to his beloved wife, Dorothy (nee Murphy) for 55 years until her death in 2000. He was a proud U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. Joe served aboard the USS Henrico, transporting troops in a Higgins boat onto Omaha Beach in the first and third waves of the D-Day invasion. He also survived a Kamikaze attack in Okinawa. Joe returned to visit Omaha Beach in 2003 with his son, John, and grandson, Steve. Joe and Dorothy lived on Staten Island for many years, raising their six children in New Brighton and West Brighton. He was a Bridge and Tunnel Officer in New York City, working first at the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and then at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. In 1984, he retired and moved to Barnegat, NJ with his wife, Dorothy, where they enjoyed many happy years together. Joe loved woodworking, traveling, and spending many winters in Florida with his daughter, Joanne.

Joseph is survived by his sister, Rosemary Mancino of Las Vegas, NV; his brother, Robert and his wife Kathleen of Cresco, PA; his four daughters, Rosemary Reilly and her husband, Bob of Galloway, Lynne E. Smith of Midlothian, VA, Joanne Monaghan and her husband, John of Plantation, FL, and Judy Coseglia and her husband, Freddie of Scottsdale, AZ; his son, John and his wife Fran of Avon, CT; as well as 6 grandchildren, Debbie White and her husband, Wayne of Midlothian, VA, Dan Reilly of Denver, PA, Tim Reilly or Audubon, PA, Karen of Conshohocken, PA, Steve of Boston, and Jonathan of Madison, WI; 3 great-grandchildren, Brandon and Elizabeth White of Midlothian, VA and Emma Reilly of Denver, PA; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his daughter, Nancy Ficano, in 1990; and his siblings, Thomas, Paul (a.k.a. "Duke"), Helen Medefindt, and Kathleen Koenig.

Family and friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 28 at the Barnegat Funeral Home, 841 West Bay Ave., Barnegat, www.BarnegatFH.com. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. Friday, June 29 at St. Mary's Church, 747 West Bay Ave., Barnegat. There will be a prayer service with Military Color Guard at 2 p.m. prior to interment at the Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 350 Provinceline Road, Wrightstown.