Joseph F. Carabetta Sr.

Joseph F. Carabetta, Sr.
Joseph F. Carabetta Sr. "Joe", a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and visionary builder, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on March 4, 2025, at the age of 97. A lifelong resident of Meriden, Connecticut, Joe was the heart of a large and loving family and the architect of an enduring legacy.
Joe met the love of his life, Evelyn (Bellante) Carabetta, with whom he shared 70 beautiful years of marriage. Together, they built a family rooted in love, tradition, and hard work, instilling in their children and grandchildren the values of perseverance, generosity, and integrity. He is survived by his beloved wife, Evelyn, and their children: Joseph Jr. and his wife Anna, and their children Cristina, Joe III, Johnny, Cecelia, and Celina; Salvatore "Sammy" and his children Sammy Jr., Nikolas, Anthony, Joe, Lili, and their mother Niki; Evelyn "Kiki" and her son JoJo; and JoAnn and her children William "Bill" Johnson and his wife Jocelyne, Joseph and his wife Kelly Johnson, and Ashley and her husband Patrick Celella. He also leaves behind his brother-in-law, Elio Bellante, 7 great-grandchildren, 20 nieces and nephews, and many great-nieces and nephews.
Joe was one of 10 siblings, raised in a home filled with love, hard work, and resilience. He was predeceased by his parents, Victoria and Ralph, and his brothers Sam, Ralph "Sonny", Dominic, Michael, and Donald, as well as his sisters Carmel, Rose, Josephine, and Catarina "Katie". Even as a young boy, Joe's entrepreneurial spirit shone through-selling newspapers and shining shoes to help support his family, lessons in hard work that would shape his extraordinary future.
During World War II, he joined the Army Air Force. During his tour of duty, he was injured at war, and although he never spoke of the horrors of war, he was always proud of his service for his country. He subsequently donated land to the DAV Association and built a center for them in Meriden. After the Service, he began his construction career by remodeling bathrooms. Remodeling bathrooms expanded into remodeling homes and then he later purchased a single family lot and built a home on it. The original homes he built still remain intact today, which he was always proud to point out.
Subsequent to building one house at a time he purchased tracts of land, created subdivisions, and built hundreds of homes at a time on subdivisions. All in all, he has built over 2,500 single family homes in Meriden. In doing so he took advantage of the FHA single family home program. The FHA program led him to explore the HUD multi-family residential programs, and he decided to put a HUD program to the test. He started out with a 100 apartment complex and found it to be a sound and successful endeavor. Thereafter he became a New England pioneer in multifamily rental housing as it exists today. Taking advantage of several HUD programs he revolutionized multifamily construction with the construction of 1,200 and 1,400 unit apartment complexes throughout New England. He once put together thousands of acres in Massachusetts to form a new city but the program he was going to use was subsequently discontinued by the government.
His cost effective thinking led him to promote a mass production off site concrete factory whereby he mass produced concrete walls and floors to be erected with cranes, ultimately forming a high rise apartment building. Over the years he constructed over 20,000 apartments and several nursing homes to care for the elderly and sick. In doing so, Joe received many awards from local, state, and federal governmental agencies as well as the Secretary of Housing. Life Magazine did an article on his accomplishments and had his picture on the front cover.
Being a family oriented person, Joe enlisted his brothers to join in the businesses. Many of the developments Joe built were retained by his parent corporation, Carabetta Enterprises, Inc., and with the help of his brothers he established a property management company to oversee and continually manage everyday business as well as maintain the properties in excellent condition.
Not all his accomplishments came easy. His normal work hours during the day were not enough to keep everything running smoothly and he would return to the office after supper and review invoices for 2 or 3 hours, approving some for payment and questioning others. Saturday morning was also a work day and he often took everyone in the office on Saturday out for lunch. Mass late on Saturday was always on his agenda.
Joe took immense pride in building the Carabetta Companies, devoting most of his time to growing them into thriving businesses that provided opportunities for hundreds of employees-many of whom he considered extended family. His work was more than a career; it was a lifelong passion, and he deeply valued the hardworking men and women who helped bring his vision to life. He believed in taking care of those who worked for him, often going out of his way to ensure their well-being, and he took great joy in watching his businesses grow and succeed alongside the people who helped build them.
Beyond his remarkable career, Joe was a man deeply connected to his roots. He cherished his Italian heritage, embracing the traditions of food, faith, and family that defined his upbringing. An avid gardener, he found joy in tending to his vegetable and flower gardens, sharing his harvest with the elderly and those in need. He took great pride in his farm, where he raised horses, cows, buffalo, pigs, pheasants, chickens, and peacocks. His legendary pig roasts brought family and friends together, creating memories that will be treasured for generations.
One of Joe's favorite traditions was his annual family trip to Aruba, a cherished getaway that grew to include upwards of 60 family members and friends-each of whom he treated like family. These vacations were a testament to his generous spirit and his belief in the importance of spending quality time with loved ones. Whether it was enjoying dinners, or sharing countless stories, Joe made sure that everyone felt welcome and valued.
Joe's generosity knew no bounds. He had an open heart and an unwavering commitment to helping others. Whether supporting his family, his employees, or his community, he was always there-offering a helping hand, a warm meal, or a listening ear. His love extended beyond his immediate family, making everyone he met feel like they belonged.
Though he has left this world, Joe's presence will be felt forever in the lives he touched, the family he cherished, and the legacy he built. His memory will live on in the buildings that stand tall, the traditions he passed down, and the countless stories of love and laughter shared by those who were fortunate to know him.
The family would like to give a special thanks to all his caregivers, especially Angelica, Virginia and Sheila.
A celebration of life will be held at John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main Street, Meriden, CT with visiting hours on Tuesday, March 11th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, March 12th at 11:30 a.m. and all are requested to go directly to Our Lady Queen of Angels Parish, Mt. Carmel Church, 109 Goodwill Avenue, Meriden, CT. Burial, with military honors, will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery, 250 Gypsy Lane, Meriden, CT. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to , https://www.stjude.org/donate/donate-to-st-jude.html?sc_icid=header-btn-donate-now, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or, Disabled American Veterans In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital www.stjude.org/donate, or Disabled American Veterans, 80 Hall Ave, Suite 801, Meriden, CT 06450.
Joe will be forever missed but never forgotten.