Joe Izzo Jr.

Joe Izzo, Jr.

Resident of San Jose

October 21, 1950 - January 5, 2012

Joe Izzo passed away peacefully at home on January 5, 2012, at the age of 61 from complications of bladder cancer. He was born on October 21, 1950 to Joseph George Izzo and Florence Graganella, both of whom preceded Joe in death.

Joe is survived by his loving wife, Lisa Politeo, his dear sister, Cynthia Bruce and brother-in-law, Daniel Bruce. He is survived as well by aunts Phyllis Taglarino and Tina Arpaia and uncle Mike Arpaia, and nieces Alexandra Politeo, Laura Cannon, Joan Cannon and Zoe Politeo Freeman, and nephew Lucas Cannon. Joe also leaves behind his loyal dog, Fidel.

After earning a B.A. degree and teaching credential at SJSU, Joe embarked on a long fulfilling career in education with the County of Santa Clara Schools from which he retired in 2007. In addition to teaching, Joe forged a career in the field of writing, co-authoring San Jose's very first restaurant guide, A Forkful of San Jose, in the late 1970's. He went on to publish his own restaurant guides, South Bay Hotplates and The Businessman's Companion to the Silicon Valley, as well as spending productive years both with the San Jose Mercury News and the San Jose Metro as restaurant reviewer. Joe also authored and published many well-respected works of fiction over the years.

In his later years, Joe turned his creative touch to drawing hundreds of mystical mandalas, imbued with the quality of Joe's own spirituality.

Joe and his writing partner, Joe Mangelli, wrote numerous screenplays, including, Lockdown, which was made into a film in the 1980's. In 2009-2010, they produced an independent production of their Screenplay, Uncle Louie, which won 2 Awards of Merit at national film competitions. Joe was able to travel to Buffalo, New York in 2011, where Uncle Louie was an official selection to the Buffalo-Niagara Film Festival. It was a homecoming for Joe, whose parents were from Buffalo and where he still has a large and warm family. Uncle Louis also won the Audience Favorite Award at the 2011 Columbia Gorge Film Festival.

Joe's other passion was surfing which was a life-long pursuit. He was a founding member of the Majestic Scribes, Social Athletic, 15 Metetr Yacht Club and Grill. An ordained minister in the Church of the Sub-Genius, Joe was able to ordain many others into this illustrious organization.

A truly giving and compassionate man, Joe had the magical gift of making everyone he came in contact with feel interesting and important. His contagious enthusiasm infused everyone and everything around him. As Joe, himself, would say, he has now been translated into the archetypes. Joe will be deeply missed. A good man is gone.

Services will be held Sunday, January 15 at 1:00 p.m. at Willow Glen Funeral Chapel, 1039 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Joe's name to the Bill Wilson Center or Hospice of the Valley.