G. "Joe" Cahill Surber

G. "Joe" Cahill Surber, age 90, of Trumbull, passed away Saturday, October 4, 2025. He was the husband of Anne-Brigid Lucey Surber for 65 years. Born August 19, 1935 in Bridgeport son of the late Howard and Eudora Cahill Surber, formerly of Bridgeport, Fairfield and Danbury. He retired as a Sales Manager in the Unisys Corporation in Shelton in 1991 after a 34 year career, having won their “Legion of Honor” Award many times. He was a driver for Bonenfant’s Drive Your Auto Service in Westport from 1992-2012. Joe was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a member of the American Legion Post 0012 in Norwalk. He graduated from Fairfield College Preparatory School, Class of 1953. He and Anne moved from Stratford to Trumbull in 1975 and are members of Christ the King Church. They have been active members of the Gaelic American Club in Fairfield since 1987, the GAC Glee Club since it's inception in 1995, and also the GAC Drama Club, "Clan na Gael". They were chosen King and Queen of the GAC's First Medieval Banquet in 2016. Joe even used to sing "7 Old Ladies in the Lavoratory" with the Keltic Kick Band at the GAC. He had the distinction of marching in the Greater Bridgeport St. Patrick’s Day Parade every year since the first one in 1983 until 2016, wearing his green wool top hat and "IRELAND" sash. Joe was famous for his wit, humor, fun-loving personality and his incredible joke-telling! He was an avid sports enthusiast, a die-hard Yankee fan, the pitcher for the former Burroughs Softball Team, a golfer at Tashua Knolls, a member of several bowling leagues and was also a member of the Unisys Poker Club. In his retirement, he and Anne used to enjoy traveling throughout the U.S. and also on cruises. They made 4 trips to Ireland where they visited many cousins in Counties, Cavan, Clare and Mayo and visited Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Besides his wife he is survived by his loving son and caregiver, Brian Cahill Surber of Trumbull, a son Timothy Clark Surber and wife Kate, Trumbull, a Godson and great-nephew, Colin Surber, nieces Martha, Pauline, Janice and nephew Jim, all of R.I. Not having any grandchildren of his own, he was affectionately known as “Papa Joe” to many of his friends’ grandchildren. Joe was predeceased by his beloved son, Kevin Thomas Surber, who died in 1988 at the age of 24, his brother Howard, his sister-in-law, Agnes, his twin nephews Patrick & Michael, & his niece Jacquelyn, all of Newport, RI. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, October 10, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 4700 Madison Avenue in Trumbull. Interment with military honors will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Friends may greet the family Thursday from 4-7 p.m. in the Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield.