Joseph Tufano

1941 - 2017

Joseph Tufano

AGE: 76 • Middletown

Joseph Tufano, 76, of Middletown, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Saturday, October 7, 2017 at Riverview Medical Center.

Joseph was born on May 5, 1941 in Saviano, Italy, where he grew up on his family farm. When he was thirteen years old, Joseph and his family immigrated to the U.S., settling in Brooklyn, NY. On May 5, 1968, Joseph and his wife, Marie, were married and began their lives together in Jersey City. In 1977, they settled in Middletown to raise their family.

Joseph was a proud U.S. Army Veteran, where he served as a medic for many years and before his retirement, he worked as an Engineer for Path Railroad. In his spare time, Joseph was an avid gardener and loved tending to his plants, flowers, and beautiful landscape. Joseph made the greatest homemade pizza and was the best baker around. His family described him as being an "expert at all things"; whatever it was that Joseph was working on, it was always done with the utmost care and completed to perfection. He was a devoted husband, and the best father, grandfather, and brother to all of his family.

He was predeceased by his parents, Raffaele and Speranza (Desena) Tufano, his beloved wife, Marie L. (Savoia) Tufano, and his siblings, Christina Tufano, Pascal Tufano, and Ursula Tufano, along with 4 brothers that passed away as children before Joseph's birth. Joseph is survived by his loving son and daughter, Steven R. Tufano of Middletown, and Andrea M. Panariello and her husband, Anthony, of Port Monmouth and his dear siblings, Stefano, Saverio, Emanuel, and John Tufano, and Irene Tomassetti, along with their spouses. He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren, Antonio, Andrew, Aaron, and Angelina Panariello, his adoring nephew, who was more like a son to Joseph, Philip Barbour and his wife, Donna, his treasured great niece, Sara Barbour, along with many more cherished nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. Joseph will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Tuesday, October 10th from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 PM and Wednesday morning, October 11th from 9:30 to 10:30 AM at the Shore Point Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., Hazlet. A prayer service will be offered at the funeral home on Wednesday morning at 10 AM. Interment, Mount Olivet Cemetery, Middletown/ Red Bank. In lieu of flowers, donations in loving memory of Joseph to the Arc of Monmouth would be greatly appreciated, arcofmonmouth.org. For information, directions, or to send condolences to the family, please visit, www.shorepointfh.com.