Joseph R. Giacalone


Date of birth: 10/07/1935
Date of death: 03/13/2014
Visitation Hours: 4-9 pm Tuesday at Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst
Service Time: Funeral Mass 10 am Wednesday at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Long Branch
Cemetery: Woodbine Mausoleum, Oceanport
Funeral Home: Oakhurst
Joseph R. Giacalone, of Lakewood, died Thursday surrounded by his loving family at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

He was born in Avon and lived in Long Branch and Oceanport before moving to Lakewood 10 years ago.

He was an art director and graphics designer at EAI and Tamsco in West Long Branch. He designed simulators for training purposes for the space shuttle (NASA) and also gave presentations to Generals in military bases for military contracts. After his retirement, he was a special needs bus driver for the Wall Township Board of Education for the past 8 years. He taught art classes at Monmouth University in West Long Branch. He served with the Army National Guard as a Sergeant First Class in the 156th Division for Transportation. Joe was a drill sergeant and instructor. He was a member of IAMA in Long Branch, the Men's Club at Fairways at Lake Ridge in Lakewood and the Old Orchard Golf Club in Eatontown.

He was a happy and positive person who loved his wife and constant companion. He loved his children and grandchildren and enjoyed all sorts of activities with them, including family vacations, skiing, camping, canoeing, snowmobiling and rafting. A wonderful loving family man that always loved his family around him and always looked forward to planning the next vacation. With his always smiling face that would light up to see you and he would always give you the thumbs up to let you know everything was going to be OK.. He was a wonderful Pop that wouldn't miss a baseball, football game or gymnastic competition no matter how sick he was feeling.

He was predeceased by his father, Joseph Giacalone.

Surviving are his wife, Arlene DeSalvo Giacalone; his mother, Mildred Errico Giacalone; his children, Joseph and Linda Giacalone; a sister, Camille and her husband Ed Herr and 3 grandchildren, Joe, Johnny and Lauren.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit from 4-9 pm Tuesday at the Fiore Funeral Home, 236 Monmouth Road, Oakhurst, Ocean Township. Funeral 9 am Wednesday from the funeral home followed by a 10 am Funeral Mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Long Branch. Entombment will follow at Woodbine Mausoleum, Oceanport.

For condolences, please visit www.fiorefuneralhomes.com.