Josef Irlinger

1934 - 2021

Josef Irlinger, 87, passed away on September 10th on Staten Island, New York. Josef was born on March 14th, 1934 in Berchtesgaden, Germany. He left his beloved homeland to come to the United States in 1956. Shortly after arriving, he met and married Louise Schretter in 1960. In 1965 they purchased their Staten Island home and began building their lives together. Josef retired from JP Morgan after a long career as a metal fabricator in the mechanical room. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Louise; daughter, Maria Irlinger of Chesapeake, VA; son, Mark Irlinger (Cindi) of Staten Island, NY; grandchildren, Gregory Edwards (Melissa) of Baltimore, MD, Erinn Pritchard (Craig) of Chesapeake, VA, Elyse Irlinger of Staten Island, NY, Joseph Irlinger of Staten Island, NY; and sister, Gizela Stiltner of Omaha, NE. To attempt to distill a man's entire life into a few hundred words is a fool's errand. When that man is Josef Irlinger, it is nigh impossible. Known throughout Staten Island as "German Joe" and "Sepperl," he was known more commonly among family as "Pop Pop" or "Poppy." When the weather was nice, you could typically find Joe in one of two places: having a beer in his backyard Biergarten or in his workshop building one of his 350+ wooden Bavarian mountain houses. His famous houses are on display throughout numerous businesses on Staten Island, all given away for free. Wherever you found Joe, you could guarantee he would be wearing a pair of suspenders with a harmonica and hard candy in his pockets. German Joe was a friend to all; commonly referred to as the unofficial mayor of Staten Island. To his family he was a devoted husband, beloved father, and cherished grandfather. To the rest of the world he was a beacon of kindness, going above and beyond to put a smile on the face of everyone he came into contact with. The German phrase "Auf Wiedersehen" translates literally to "until our reunion" or "until we see each other again." Auf Wiedersehen Sepperl! Prost! We love you and miss you dearly. A wake is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14th from 4pm-8pm at Hanley Funeral Home, New Dorp. A funeral service is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15th at 10:15am at Saint Charles Church, Oakwood with burial to follow in Moravian Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, North Shore Animal League, or charity of your choice.