Joseph Charles Saboe

Obituary for Joseph Charles Saboe (1930-2025)
Joseph (Joe) Charles Saboe, age 95, loving husband of the late Dolores M. Saboe (Gallagher) for over 64 years, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 20, 2025.
The son of late Joseph and Rose (nee Zvocsinski/Saboe). He married the love of his life, Dolores, on May 3, 1952 in St. Augustine's Church, Bridgeport PA. He was a devoted parishioner of Our Mother of Sorrows until it closed in 2001.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was predeceased by his cherished grandson, Brendan William, and his four siblings and their spouses.
Joe is survived by his seven children: sons Thomas (Teresa), Joseph (Beth), Brendan (Monica); daughters Michele (Michael) Dobbs, Noreen (William) Bachman, Bridget (John) Walsh, and Lorrie (Jeff) Zimmerman; his twenty-two grandchildren and twenty-nine great grandchildren.
After graduating from Saint Matthew's High School, Conshohocken in 1948, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1948 to 1952. In 1969, he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia. Joe then enjoyed a long career at Merck as a Research Pharmacist. He retired from Merck after over 30 years in 1995.
Although he had many accomplishments in drug development, which included co-developing an anti-inflammatory drug; troubleshooting drug production in locations throughout the world and producing "orphan" drugs for extremely rare illnesses, his greatest accomplishment was his large family.
In his later years, Joe was known as Grandpop or Grandpop Saboe, not only by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but by everyone he met. He enjoyed his time with his family, decorating and teaching, Pysanky, (Ukrainian Easter eggs), woodworking and gardening.
Relatives and friends are warmly invited to attend his viewing on Sunday, October 26th, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Bernard S. Gutkowski Funeral Home, located at 305 Jefferson Street, Swedesburg, PA 19405 (610-275-6385), Keith J. Murphy, F.D., www.gutkowskifunerals.com. A second public viewing will be held on Monday, October 27th, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m., followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 120 Jefferson Street, Swedesburg, PA 19405. The family would appreciate Memorial Donations to Sisters of Saints Cyril and Methodius, 1002 Railroad Street, Danville, PA 17821.
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