Joseph Owen Saseen

1928 - 2025

Joseph Owen Saseen (Joe) passed away on September 20, 2025, at 96 years old. Joe, a true Savannah legend, was known as "Joe-Joe," "Papa," and "Grandpapa." The youngest of thirteen in a Lebanese Catholic family, he was born and raised in Savannah. Raised mostly by older sisters, Joe grew into the kind, generous, headstrong, and comical man he became. A true contrarian full of funny idiosyncrasies, the saying "broke the mold" could not be more fitting for Joe.

Joe's parents, Isaac and Freda Saseen, devout Catholics, sent the children to Catholic schools. Not known for being a "rule follower" as a child, Joe attended the old Marist School, taught by the Marist brothers, who had a field day with the ruler. In the sixth grade, the school became Cathedral School, and the nuns took over the ruler. Joe graduated from Benedictine Military School (1946), after being introduced to a new weapon, the cane. Joe laughingly reported that he had the greatest number of "demerits" in the history of the school at that time.

He attended Armstrong Junior College, then graduated from the University of Georgia in 1950, cementing his lifelong love of the Dawgs. Joe was a member of the renowned Gridiron Secret Society. Later, during the Korean War, the local 117th AC and W Squadron was activated, where Joe spent thirteen months at Sewart AFB near Nashville, Tennessee. The unit was composed of Benedictine and old Savannah High men, who, because of being put together for the first time, became lifelong friends.

After the war, Joe briefly reported for the Orangeburg Times and Democrat before earning his law degree from Emory in 1954, where he joined Sigma Pi and Phi Alpha Delta. Becoming a true "working man's lawyer" accessible to all, Joe hung a shingle on Jones Street and practiced law in Savannah as a sole practitioner for forty-two years before retiring.

Joe was a former member of the American Bar Association, the Savannah Golf Club, and the Chatham Club as well as a charter member of the Debtors Club. Joe was profoundly civic-minded and served on the board of the Chatham County Exceptional Children Program and on the Savannah Economic Development Authority, where he was responsible for several operational changes. Joe was deeply interested in historic preservation, frequently attending meetings, and always had something to say. One notable contribution to Savannah was when Joe put to work his civic-minded passion for safeguarding Savannah historic property by filing a successful lawsuit to preserve the City's right to ownership of the property that is now the Visitor Center and Georgia Coastal Center.

In 1973, Joe left bachelorhood, marrying Pat Finn, his loving wife of forty-seven years. The morning after the wedding, he woke up with a wife, two stepsons, Mark and Don, and a dog, Jingles. Joe's new titles as husband, "Papa," and later "Grandpapa" remain his greatest legacy in the eyes of his children and grandchildren. Joe's loyalty to family was clear, especially in the years he lovingly cared for Pat during her illness.

Special thanks to the Ardsley Park "Dog Cotillion," especially Jim Pedrick and Carl Pruetz, for being steadfast friends and family until the end.

Joe is survived by his stepsons, Don Alexander (Karen), and Mark Alexander (Meredith); step-grandchildren, Emily, Ainsley, Austin, Pierce, and Liam; and many wonderful nieces and nephews who were always looking out for Joe. A brief visitation will be held on Friday, September 26, 2025, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at Fox & Weeks Funeral Directors, Hodgson Chapel. A burial service will follow at 11:30 a.m. in Bonaventure Cemetery. A reception will follow the graveside service at a location to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, support a charity of your choice or smoke a cigar in Joe's honor.