Joseph James Picciotti III

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of a beloved family member; Joseph James Picciotti, III, age 72, of Newark, DE. Joe passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on December 5th, 2025. Born in Wilmington, Joe was the son of the late Elizabeth (Quinn) and Joseph J. Picciotti, Jr. Growing up, Joe and his family were members of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and he attended St. Edmond's Academy. He graduated from Archmere Academy and majored in Business and Finance at Villanova University. Joe spent time working alongside his father and twin brother in their family-owned business, Architectural Hardware Company. He had a long and successful career in the hardware industry and most recently was employed by Unified Door & Hardware Group as a Senior Project Estimator. He was always devoted to his work and he could be often seen with blueprints in hand, sharing stories of various bids with his family members.
As a young man, Joe enjoyed playing backyard basketball and basement pool in his childhood home with his brother and friends, those same friends that he drove to high school in the 1930 Model A Ford that later was known by his children as the Awooga Awooga Car. No matter the car, Joe had a gift of giving directions for the most efficient and fastest route to any place along the east coast and beyond. Joe was a teacher by nature and wanted to share his ideas with his family. He took the time to teach his children simple lessons like how to catch a ball or a fish, how to ski, go bowling, play basketball, solve math problems in a variety of ways, and how to keep any situation a little comical. Joe had a passion for sports, especially watching his own children and grandchildren participate in their respective sports. He coached many youth sports including basketball at IHM prior to having any children and later coached softball and soccer for his own children. One of his strongest gifts was that of telling stories. He was a gifted story teller especially when it came to stories about his family. He was passionate about researching the Family Tree and passing down stories that were shared with him by his parents and grandparents to his children and grandchildren. Family and family time was important to Joe. He had a love of history and statistics and when the two merged, he became an expert about baseball stats and was eager to share his knowledge. Joe was an enthusiastic Phillies and Eagles fan and shared his love of professional sports with many of his family members. He enjoyed the beach and spent time vacationing at Ocean City in New Jersey and Suncook Lake in New Hampshire where he enjoyed being in the water and relaxing with a good book.
Joe is survived by his wife of 33 years, Susan Picciotti; his children and their spouses, Katie and Christopher Ciecko, Julie and Gregory Brazill, Megan and Christopher Stevenson, Brendan and Laura Picciotti, and Alyssa and Garrett Goral; his grandchildren, Bryce, Evan, Will, Lincoln, Jackson, Evie, Reese, Georgie, and Elsa; his siblings and their spouses, John R. and Katherine Picciotti and Joanne and Gregg Rooney; his step mother, JoAnn Picciotti and his step brother, Brad Gaudioso (Cecilia); and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family.
A visitation will be held on Wednesday December 17, 2025 from 4 P.M. to 6 P.M. at the Mealey Funeral Home, 2509 Limestone Road Wilmington, DE 19808. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held the following morning, Thursday December 18, 2025 at 10 A.M. at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, 7200 Lancaster Pike Hockessin, DE 19707. Burial will follow in Cathedral Cemetery, 2400 Lancaster Ave Wilmington, DE 19805. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, 535 E 70th St Main Hospital, New York, NY 10021 and/or the Mary Campbell Center, 4641 Weldin Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803.