Joseph David Formisano

1943 - 2025

Joseph David Formisano, age 81, passed away on Tuesday, August 5, 2025. Joseph was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey on October 27, 1943 to Joseph and Susan Formisano.

Joseph attended the Valley Forge Military Academy and Junior College from 1955 until graduating in 1963. During his time at the academy, he rose through the ranks and upon graduation was Cadet First Captain Regimental Commander in charge of a corps of 1,330 cadets. During his service as the Regimental Commander, he had the opportunity to meet President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Ambassador of Great Britian Sir David Ormsby Gore.

As an alumnus of the Academy, Joseph also served on the Board of Trustees, the Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Forge Way Committee. He also received the Outstanding Alumnus Award.

Joseph served in the U.S. Army Ready Reserve as a medical corpsman for six years in the 2289th U.S. Army Field Hospital.

Joseph went into the family business in the Newark Farm & Home Supply on Main Street in Newark, DE. He later owned and operated the business for eighteen years until closing in it 1988. The business helped to sponsor many community events and employed many high school students in addition to the regular staff. The store was known as one of Delaware's premier hardware stores.

During that time, he was a member of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and the secretary to the Newark Businessman's Association. He also organized the Charles Dickens Christmas Club, an organization that raised money for Christmas decorations for Main Street, Newark.

After closing the store, Joseph represented the National Retail Hardware Association for six years traveling the Mid-Atlantic and New England States. He then went on to represent Ace Hardware Corporation as a CAD operator drawing store plans for hardware stores, lumber yards and home centers. Following that, Joseph represented Blue Cross and Blue Shield for two years selling Long Term Care Insurance. He then spent eleven years in corporate security before retiring in 2018.

Joseph lived many years in the community of Carillon where he helped design and implement the entrance to the community.

He also served as an usher at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Wilmington, DE for more than twenty-five years.

Joseph was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Susan (Warner) Formisano. He is survived by his sister, Carolyn Fierro; niece, Susan Margaret Fierro; nephew, Joseph Francis Fierro and his wife, Kathie and their sons, Mark and Michael; and nephew, Stephen Francis Fierro and his fiancé, Wendy Gaskil and his sons, Dominick and Luke.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 10 am until 11 am on Monday, August 18, 2025, at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, 901 N. DuPont Street, Wilmington, DE 19805, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 am. Interment will follow in Cathedral Cemetery, 2400 Lancaster Avenue, Wilmington, DE.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joseph's memory to St. Anthony of Padua Parish, at the address listed above (https://sapde.org/); or to Humane Animal Partners, 701 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801 (www.humaneanimalpartners.org/).

To leave online condolences, visit: www.spicermullikin.com

SPICER-MULLIKIN FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY

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