Joseph Altilio

1919 - 2019

Joseph Altilio
April 27, 1919 - Sept. 15, 2019
Resident of San Jose
Joseph Altilio passed away peacefully on September 15, 2019 after a full and fulfilling life. He was one of four children born to Nicholas and Assunta Altilio in New York, NY. He and his family moved to Brooklyn when he was a young child, and he lived in Brooklyn until he and his wife, Rose, moved to San Jose California in 1973.
Joe married Rose DeSimone in February, 1943, just days before his military orders took him overseas. He was in the infantry during World War II, and he was severely wounded in Italy, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart. He credited the Army surgical unit for saving his leg, and he held a deep respect for wartime doctors and nurses all his life.
When he returned from the war, he worked as a machinist at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. After several years, he became a government inspector for the Bureau of Naval Weapons and continued working in this capacity until his retirement from government service. His proudest achievement was when, as a BNW/NASA employee in Quality Control, he was part of the team that landed the Lunar Extension Module on the moon in 1969.
Joe and Rose were married for 76 years, and it is difficult to imagine one without the other. They were a team, and they were devoted to their family. Joe was a hands-on person who was available to help family and friends with projects ranging from wiring a house to wallpapering a room. His many skills made him the go-to guy for most of his life and the ultimate handyman for Rose.
Joe was a life-long learner. He took guitar lessons as a young husband and father, he was an amateur photographer with a developing lab in his house, he studied electronics in the 1950s, and he began painting in his retirement. He enjoyed learning painting techniques through the East Side Senior Center in San Jose and was presented with a certificate for his dedication to and support of the art program in his community. And he was an avid reader. Joe devoured books -- even when his eyesight was so poor that he had to use a magnifying glass in addition to his glasses to see the words.
Joe is survived by his wife Rose, his daughter Susan Walter, his grandson Michael Walter (Julie Breher), his granddaughter Kristin Walter (Chris Mahle), his great-grandchildren Max Mahle and Jacob Walter, and numerous nieces and nephews on both coasts.


View the online memorial for Joseph Altilio