Joseph Richard Rafter, Jr.

1947 - 2026

Joseph Richard Rafter Jr.,79, of Malvern, PA, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at his home.

He was born on March 1, 1947, in Philadelphia, PA, to Anne (Breslin) and Joseph Richard Rafter. He grew up in Southwest Philadelphia and graduated from West Catholic High School in 1965. He attended Widener University night school while working to support his family.

On May 24, 1969, he married Jeanne (Gormley) at St. George's Catholic Church in Glenolden, PA, and together they shared 57 years of a loving marriage.

A self-made man, Joe distinguished himself in the early days of information technology. He was a natural when it came to technology. He started as a system engineer in Boeing's data center. His work ethic and results were apparent, and IBM took notice, recruiting him to join the firm serving their clients in the Philadelphia area, most notably DuPont. He was known to be thorough, patient, and a well-rounded leader of others, frequently earning accolades from his employers, including IBM's Hundred Percent Club and Golden Circle. He left IBM and worked at Consolidated Rail (Conrail) for 2 years, during which he ran its data center. When Conrail closed, he joined Sungard Computer Services, where he retired as the President in 2001. Retirement was short-lived; he worked part-time for several years at a boutique consulting firm in the Philadelphia area before permanently retiring to a life of golf.

When he wasn't working, he was on the beach in Sea Isle City, NJ, or on the golf courses at Chester Valley and Hershey's Mill in Pennsylvania, and Pelican Sound in Florida. He also loved his cars, and he owned many over the years. He took great care of everything he owned, from his career to his cars to his home, and most significantly, his family.

Above all, he was a devoted son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend. He is survived by Jeanne Rafter of Malvern, PA; his son, Joseph Rafter III of Malvern, PA and daughter-in-law Meg (Munder) Rafter; three grandchildren, Joseph Richard Rafter IV, Charles James Patrick Rafter, and Nicholas Fisher Rafter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Anne and Joseph Rafter, and sisters Joanne Sembrot and MaryAnn Romano.

The family would like to thank Dr. Charles Yeo of Jefferson Hospital and Heartland Hospice for their compassionate care and support during his illness.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend Joe’s visitation on Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 10am-12 Noon at Saint Patrick Church 104 Channing Avenue Malvern, PA 19355, followed by his Mass of Christian Burial at 12 Noon. His burial will follow at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery 1600 S. Sproul Rd, Springfield, PA 19064.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Camilla Hall at https://ihmimmaculata.org/mission-ministry/camilla-hall/

We will miss his happy, loving presence and easy-going ways. We are grateful for the years we had with him and the well-lived life he shared so generously.

www.maugergivnish.com