Joseph Bernard Mittelman

1926 - 2018

June 11, 1926 - August 17, 2018 Joseph Bernard Mittelman, of Laguna Niguel, CA, passed away 8/17/2018 at his son John's home in Temecula, CA. Born in Chicago, IL, on 6/11/1926, Joe lived to the ripe age of 92. He moved to Los Angeles with his mother Ann, father Maury, and sister Ernie in 1932. Joe married Judy Mittelman (née Dussault) in 1970, and they were together for nearly 50 years. Joe leaves two sons, six grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. On 12/8/1941, the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked, Joe was rejected by the Navy Enlistment Office (they weren't accepting 15-year-olds), but joined the US Navy at age 17 after graduating high school in 1943. In typical fashion, Joe was in the center of things and was the radioman on duty on his ship patrolling near the Philippines when Allied forces were advised to cease all hostilities against the Japanese in August, 1945. He personally received and transmitted that wonderful news to his commanding officers and all other ships in his area. Joe returned Stateside in March 1946, and married Sally Mittelman (née Gettleman), and they raised three sons and a daughter, Donald, Ronald, john, and Cathy. They divorced in 1968. Joe spent a year at USC in 1947-1948, and then went to work full time with father Maury who had created a thriving business as an independent manufacturer's representative. Joe traveled within the Western US, ultimately making a name for himself and growing his company within the automotive aftermarket industry. Over the next 50+ years, Joe rose to the pinnacle of his profession and industry before he retired in the late 1990s. Joe was a leading force in the automotive aftermarket, and was actively engaged in the industry for over 50 years as CEO and President of The Mittelman Group, Mittelman, Wynn, & Pessin, Mittelman, Smith, Wynn, and Mittelman and Associates, the firm founded by father Maury Mittelman. Joe was a founding member and past Chairman of the Automotive Parts & Accessories Association, a national trade group and was a founding member of the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation, Inc. ("AACF"). Joe was V.P. of the Board of Trustees and served on the Recipient Review and Executive Board Committees at AACF. To all who knew him, Joe was "one of a kind" and will sorely be missed by wife Judy, surviving sons John and Ronald, his grandchildren Mikayla Taylor, Kylee, Ariel, Steven, Michael, and Melinda Smith, and his eight great-grandchildren. Many dear friends and business colleagues loved and will miss Joe as well. Joe never entered the room or left and said goodbye to a soul without having made a real difference in their lives, and we are all of us enriched and blessed to have been a part of this extraordinary man's life. We will celebrate Joe's life on Sunday, Sept. 23rd at El Niguel Country Club, 23700 Club House Dr., Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to the Automotive Aftermarket Charitable Foundation, Inc.