Name: Calling hours for Joseph Anthony Baske
Start: 2025-04-21T19:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-04-22T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory

Joseph Anthony Baske
Joseph (Joe) Anthony Baske (July 11, 1968 – April 13, 2025) has passed away at the age of 56. Joe grew up in Weston, CT and obtained both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Connecticut. He was currently pursuing his doctorate at ULM.
Joe was a social studies teacher for 27 years at Greenwich High School. Many would describe him as the heart and soul of the building. His smile, laughter, and love of life infiltrated the halls and classrooms.
In addition to teaching, Joe presented workshops focused on how to facilitate resilience and engagement in the resistant learner by cultivating gratitude, compassion, and pride. This was his passion project.
It was at GHS that Joe met his wife of 22 years, Michelle. Joe proposed within 10 months of dating and they were married a few short months later. Their love, respect, and appreciation of one another ran strong and was felt by all that knew them. Joe always prioritized Michelle's well-being and happiness above all else.
Together they had two children, Joseph and Genevieve. Joe would say being a dad was the greatest gift ever bestowed upon him. As a dad, he was committed to teaching social responsibility, with a generous side of goofiness. At the end of each day he would tell them, "I love you forever and I'm glad you're my son/daughter."
Beyond his passion for family and teaching, Joe loved playing basketball, held an unwavering belief in the New York Knicks and had an unexpected love of rap music.
He also had a love for classic cars. It's bittersweet that he died from multiple blood clots in his lungs while attending a car show.
Joe was predeceased by his parents, Joseph E. Baske and Mary C. Baske. He is survived by his wife, Michelle; his children, Joseph and Genevieve; his brother, John (Whitney) Baske; his sister, Michele Baske; his in-laws, William and Nancy Grella; his sister-in-law, Erica (Peter) Angelopoulos; his nieces and nephew, Emma Baske (Jeremy) Woods, Meghan Baske, Johnny Angelopoulos, and Antonia Angelopoulos; and his best friend/brother, Kenric Gubner.
Calling hours for Joe will be held Monday, April 21, 2025 from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Cognetta Funeral home, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT. A mass of Christian burial will occur Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Maurice Church, 358 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT. A burial will follow at Saint Francis Xavier Cemetery in New Milford, CT.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made "In Memory of Joe Baske" to the Greenwich Scholarship Association, PO Box 4627, Greenwich, CT 06831.
To leave an online message of condolence please visit www.cognetta.com.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Stamford Advocate on Apr. 16, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for Joseph Baske

Sponsored by Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory.

33 Entries

Stephen Field

May 3, 2025

Joe and I were huge Wrestling fans growing up. We would watch every Saturday night. My last big event with him was going to Madison Square Garden. Still brings a smile to my face thinking about it.

WWF @ New York City, NY - Madison Square Garden - February 16, 1981 (20,808)
Televised on the MSG Network - featured Vince McMahon on commentary:
Yoshiaki Yatsu defeated Johnny Rodz at 11:12
Hulk Hogan defeated Rick McGraw at 1:31
The Hangman defeated Frank Savage at 10:58
SD Jones defeated Baron Mikel Scicluna at 8:44
WWF IC Champion Pedro Morales defeated Sgt. Slaughter via disqualification at 22:40 after the challenger used a pair of brass knuckles; after the bout, Morales used the brass knuckles to pound on Slaughter all the way back to the dressing room
WWF World Champion Bob Backlund fought Stan Hansen to a draw at 18:22 when the referee deemed both men too bloody to continue; after the bout, the two continued to brawl back to the dressing room where they were eventually separated by security guards
Killer Khan pinned Dominic DeNucci at 7:46 with a kneedrop from the middle turnbuckle
Pat Patterson, WWF Tag Team Champions Rick Martel & Tony Garea defeated the Moondogs & Capt. Lou Albano in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match, 2-1, at 9:47; fall #1: Martel pinned Rex at the 51-second mark with a flying bodypress; fall #2: Rex pinned Martel at 4:02 with a backbreaker after King kneed Martel in the back from the apron; fall #3: the Moondogs & Albano were counted-out at 4:55

Stephen Field

May 3, 2025

Joe was my best friend growing up n Weston. I was just trying to reach out to him because I was traveling back to Connecticut next week. This is so sad.

Joe and I had some great times. I will never forget you.

Catherine G Gallagher

April 28, 2025

Dear Baske family, my name is Catherine Gallagher and I knew Joe many years ago at Lauralton Hall, where I have taught English for over thirty years. In fact, Joe lived for a time in a house in Milford that my mom owned. I am so very sorry to hear of his passing and I send my sincere condolences to you and the many whose lives he touched. Joe was cheerful and dedicated and his commitment to his students and his vocation was so very clear even in those early days. With prayers for peace, Catherine Gallagher

Colleen Alfano

April 22, 2025

Dear Baske Family,
I am so sorry for your loss. I know Joe will be forever in your hearts and the hearts of so many people whom he touched. You will all be in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Colleen Alfano

Alan Capasso

April 21, 2025

Michelle and family,
I was so saddened to hear about Joe. I have so many fond memories of both him alone and the two of you together. Always so upbeat and happy, I enjoyed talking to him on a bunch of topics, mostly work unrelated, especially cars. We often shared stories about cars we had or wanted to own.
When I think back about all the great people I got to work with at GHS, Joe is always on the list.
In this difficult time, try to take solace in knowing the great positive impact Joe had on so many lives.

Darius

April 21, 2025

Mr. Baske was one of the greatest teachers I ever had, and really instilled in me a love of history. I am so sorry for your loss.

Molson

April 20, 2025

Mr. Baske was a great man and wonderful teacher. I am thankful for all he taught me.

Toni Kokoros Charleston SC

April 19, 2025

Michelle & family, I am stunned seeing this news. Joe was a great guy, I got to know him from my barber shop, and also when we´d swim at the same time before work. What a sweet man. I´m so very sorry for your loss. May he RIP

Rick Baxley

April 18, 2025

Michelle, Joseph, and Genevieve,
I am so, so sorry for the immense loss to your family. You three know better than anyone how amazing of a human Joe was, and the entire community was lucky to have him for his too-brief time at GHS. Because our last names are so close, I´d sometimes get called "Mr. Baske," and I´d always reply, "It´s an honor to be mistaken for Mr. Baske!" That´s exactly how I felt: honored to be associated with someone with an enthusiasm for teaching and whose joy and positivity never wavered. Joe touched thousands of lives, and every student who had the privilege of learning from him will carry his lessons and spirit with them always. Joe will be incredibly missed, and I hope that his memory and legacy can bring some small measure of comfort to your family while enduring the pain of his passing.

Parker Gambino

April 18, 2025

My introduction to Joe Baske was on the basketball court, when for a time there were faculty pickup games after school let out at Greenwich High School. You can learn a lot about a person on the court; I soon knew what to expect from Joe whether he was on my team or an adversary: an overall spirit of bonhomie encompassing a respect for fairness, unselfish collaborative teamwork, good-natured and humorous trash talk, along with confident ability to make his individual talents mesh in the context of the composition of his team du jour. The potent combination of focus and peripheral vision, and not shying away from contact deep in the paint. Whenever our paths would cross at work the joy of his presence and conversation lingered to lighten my step and brighten my spirit. Michelle, Joseph, and Genevieve, I am so sorry for your loss, and hope that your memory of that same joy will guide you through your challenge of resilience.

Bill Brehm

April 18, 2025

Dear Michelle, Joseph, & Genevieve,
So sad to hear of the sudden passing of Joe. Please accept my sincere condolences. He will be remembered by all as a positive, happy and funny man that brought a smile to many faces on a daily basis. Hard to beat that in this crazy world. Peace, love and respect to you and the entire family. RIP JB.

Louise Lancetti

April 17, 2025

Will miss your presence and big hugs, Big Joe. You lived life with quiet courage and determination, with a deep love for your family, and would not let anything or anyone steal your joy. My heart is with you, Michelle, and with Little Joe and Genevieve. Xx

Doug Schueler

April 17, 2025

John and family. Although I only knew you briefly at WVFD I was moved by Joe´s lovely life story. Wishing you strength through your memories of him.

Debbie Baran

April 17, 2025

Dear Michelle and family,
Thank you for sharing such a great photo of Joe. His passing has broken our hearts, but his smile and exuberance for teaching and life was captured in this photo. He will be missed by all of us.
Sending prayers and condolences,
Debbie Baran

Mary Gutierrez

April 17, 2025

Dear Michelle, Joseph, & Genevieve,

I was heartbroken to hear about Mr. Baske´s passing. I had him for 2 years in HS along side Mrs. Sirbono. Whenever I would visit, I would always make sure to stop by to see them both. He was one of the most memorable teachers I ever had. His passion for social studies rekindled my own interest in the subject. He was truly such a kind soul! He had the best sense of humor, and his wisdom made his classroom a place I truly looked forward to. I can still picture him now, leaning back on his chair and his feet up on his desk. The way he would scrunch up his papers and throw it into the trash like the basketball player he was, and we would yell out "Kobe" when he would shoot it.

Beyond the lessons in textbooks, he taught with heart. He genuinely cared about his students, and it showed in everything he did! From the way he encouraged us to think deeper to the way he always had time for a laugh or a conversation. I feel incredibly lucky to have been one of his students.

Please accept my deepest condolences. His legacy will live on through the many lives he touched, and I will always remember him with gratitude and warmth.

Abbie Alicea

April 17, 2025

Joe, my dear friend, mentor, and funny guy. To say I will miss you it´s to simplify what will happen to me without you. I want to believe in magic.. which you probably would
laugh since you dealt in facts only.. still the same I will see you in the hallways always, I will see you in your classroom when I walk by now, I will see you in the teachers room first at the microwave. But most of all I will always see you and feel you in our office 535 in Cantor house. You and your sweet smile, your kind and giving heart, your wise advice.Your readiness to listen was uncanny. What I admire most was your intense love for Michelle "your beautiful wife" and the love for Joey and Genevieve.I will carry you in my heart forever.

My deepest sympathy to the family...
Joe we are going to try to make it because we always do.

Vanessa Silva

April 17, 2025

Dear Michelle, Joseph, and Genevieve,

I am deeply sorry for your loss. Mr. Baske was my Social Studies teacher at GHS in 2005, and he truly was one of a kind - the best teacher I ever had. His passion for teaching and the care he showed for his students left a lasting impression on me.

Although I hadn´t seen him since my graduation in 2008, news of his passing brought me to tears. I can only imagine the incredible person he was beyond the classroom.

Wishing you strength, unity, and peace during this difficult time. Please accept my heartfelt condolences.

Vanessa Silva

April 17, 2025

Julie Nixon

April 17, 2025

The memory of when Joe and Michelle fell in love at GHS will always stay with me. Both of them were young and beautiful and full of energy and the love of teaching. I'm imagining those angels learning all about social studies now that Joe has joined him. His presence and loss are felt deeply here on earth.

Kara Peters

April 16, 2025

I think of Joe and the Baske family, and my heart grows full and warm. The sunshine Joe brought to Cantor made it all summer, and every thorn a brightly-colored rose. He was a profound friend to so many of us-offering us the kind of friendship that is true, unfeigned, direct-an expression of his kindness and his big heart. Joe radiated a generosity of spirit that improved all who came within his light. His encyclopedic knowledge of history and politics, his irrepressible humor, his boldness in calling out injustice shone throughout his work. I will miss seeing him everyday in the staff room at lunch time and hearing his critical context and perspective on historic moments in American and global politics. I will miss his quick wit and his optimism about peaceful conflict resolution and his updates on Genevieve´s studies and pursuits (about which he basked in pride), and his thoughtful inquiries about my upcoming nuptials. Where life is boundless in its duration, and love in its sympathy, and joy in its fullness...his life closed in a gentle dream-may he wake as kindly in the other world.

Angelo Raus

April 16, 2025

Dear Michelle, Joseph and Genevieve, I´m s sorry and shocked about the loss of Joe. Whenever and wherever Joe walked by, he always left a glow behind.
My prayers and thoughts are with you All.
With love,
Angelo

Jean Pointdujour

April 16, 2025

Dear Michelle, Joseph, and Genevieve, I am still processing the strange reality that Joe is no longer with us. Besides the great family man that he was, he also epitomized true friendship by being honest, trustworthy, supportive and sincere. We loved him and we will not be able to replace him. He is now gone from our midst, but he is surely with his Savior.

Jennifer Weekes-Osinowo

April 16, 2025

To Michelle, Joseph and Genevieve,
It is with great sadness when I got the news. You are in my prayers, time heals ever wound. Because of the person he was, I know he is with God and the angels already. You could not ask for a better husband and father. R.I.P. Joseph Baske
Jennifer Weekes-Osinowo
(Michael Taylor's sister)

Valerie and Sheldon

April 16, 2025

Dear Michelle, Joseph, and Genevieve, Sheldon and I are still in disbelief that Joe has passed on. He was always kind and willing to offer support in any way. Not only was he a dedicated teacher, he was a sincere friend and ally. We will miss him, but heaven is gaining a true angel.

Caitlin Sheehan

April 16, 2025

Sending love and condolences to all the Baskes.

Kathy Steiner

April 16, 2025

Michelle, Genevieve and Joseph- I am so very sorry - my heart breaks for you. Joe was such a kind and caring person, and will be missed by all who knew him. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers in this time of sorrow.

Monica Muller

April 16, 2025

My condolences to the family.

Laura Burdick

April 16, 2025

Dear Michelle, Genevieve, and Joseph,

I have been thinking about you so much these last few days. Joe was the kindest, warmest person and I will really miss seeing his smiling face every day. My heart goes out to all of you.

With love and sympathy,
Laura Burdick

Virginia "Ginger" Plath-Kelly

April 16, 2025

Joe, you will shine bright in heaven as you did on earth. You will be missed , my friend! I am sending prayers and hugs to his beautiful family: Michelle , Genevieve, and Joseph during this time.I am so deeply sorry!

Anton Anderson

April 16, 2025

Joe was my friend and social studies partner at GHS until I retired. We shared a passion for cars--Joe bought one of my Nissan 240xs cars that i had modified in a number of ways--and a passion for learning. We would use our shared planning blocks to walk the halls of GHS while discussing the ideas of classical philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, etc, etc. We also struggled to implement the SHARED INQUIRY method of cooperative learning with our small group seminars. I photographed Joe and Michelle's wedding and Sherry and I let Joe and Michelle honeymoon at our house in Eastham on Cape Cod. Joe confided in me as his relationship with Michelle progressed and he fell more and more deeply in love with her and in awe of her. He was always upbeat and in love with Michelle, and their children and learning and teaching. It was truly a privilege to share my last years in the classroom with Joe.

Maria DeVita

April 16, 2025

May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow.

New Canaan, CT. Resident

April 16, 2025

Please accept my deepest sympathy on the passing of this amazing individual. I know he is soaring with the angels right now.
May Joe rest in eternal peace.
Sincerely,

Patricia Riggans ( Patti )

April 16, 2025

Dear Baske Family -
I'm so sorry for the passing of your loved on Joseph. May he R.I.P. My son Eric had him in 2022 for a teacher. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Showing 1 - 33 of 33 results