Joseph Hauser Jr.

Joseph Hauser, Jr.

Saddle Brook - Hauser, Joseph, Jr., 76, of Saddle Brook, passed away on Saturday, March 23, 2019 after a brief but valiant fight against cancer.

Born in New York City, Joe's family moved when he was eleven to Saddle Brook, where he would spend the rest of his life. He graduated from Saddle Brook High School and then served our country proudly in the Army during the Vietnam War. Later, he found himself back in the Saddle Brook school system, this time as a custodian. It was a position he held proudly for 30 years before he retired.

Though Joe loved exploring Central Park and The Museum of Natural History in the city, it was when the family moved to the suburbs that he really got to pursue his passions: gardening and animals. Once he had the space to do so, Joe raised everything from chickens to rabbits to horses. He loved animals and always had a dog as his companion. He derived pleasure from the simple communion with nature, working the land, always coaxing forth some beautiful flower or delicious veggie. Oh, how we'll miss those "Uncle Joe tomatoes" that made every summer all the better! Like everything else in his life, Joe shared whatever he grew generously. And it is that generosity that will be missed by so many, for Joe gave to too many charities to list here and was a constant source of support to friends and family alike.

Though not effusive by nature, we all know that family meant a great deal to Joe. He was the loving brother of Patricia Mastej and her late husband, James and Peggy Seigerman and her husband, Bruce. He was the beloved uncle of Stacie Collins and her husband, John; Jamie DeVault and her husband, Andy; Brian Seigerman and his fiancée, Erin; Kerry Seigerman and her fiancé, Dan; and Tracey House and her husband, Tim. Joe was also the cherished great-uncle of Erin and Megan Collins; without him, Friday night pizza parties and Fourth of July fireworks will not be the same. Joseph is survived by many loving cousins.

Family will receive friends on Friday, March 29, 2019 from 4 - 8pm at the Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 113 South Farview Avenue, Paramus, NJ. Funeral Service will be held at 9:00am on Saturday, March 30, 2019, at the Vander Plaat Memorial Home, followed by a 9:30am Funeral Mass at St. Philip the Apostle R.C. Church, 488 Saddle River Road, Saddle Brook. Interment will follow at George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus.

As an expression of sympathy and in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Joseph's memory may be made to Seeing Eye, Inc., 10 Washington Valley Road, Morristown, NJ 07963 or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or at www.stjude.org.

To leave an online condolence or for further information visit www.vanderplaat.com