Obituary
Joseph “Joey” Peter Luchese, Jr.
Fun-loving, generous, and kind. These are but few words to describe our beloved Joe (“Joey”)Luchese, who left this earth on January 12, 2023. Joe was born to Joseph and Nora (Weber) Luchese on February 28, 1937 in New York City and spent his childhood and youth among the close connections of his family, including his Aunty Kitty, and his first cousins Frances and Robert, later graduating from La Salle Military Academy in Long Island, New York. He and his first wife, Dorothy (Capuro) Luchese, married in 1964 in Easton, Pennsylvania, and moved to Miami, Florida in 1969, where they raised their children Joseph and Andrea. Together, they enjoyed trips to see family, boating, the beach, and all the kid stuff, like baseball, boy scouts, and ballet. Joe co-founded Econocaribe Consolidators, Inc., an ocean freight transportation business, where his son also worked summers and after college. Joe traveled throughout the Caribbean over many years to grow the family business, eventually enjoying an early retirement in 1992. Dorothy and Joe had 37 years of loving marriage, until Dorothy’s untimely death to cancer in 2001.
Joey was blessed to have two loves in his life, marrying Maria (Zafra) Luchese, and welcoming her son Paulo, who fondly called him “Uncle Joey,” and later Paulo’s son, Clark Joseph, into the family. Joey and Maria married in 2003, enjoying travel and an adventurous life while living in Miami. He was also active in the Habitat for Humanity, Saint John Newman Catholic Church,
and his genuine camaraderie with his Emmaus brothers, as well as the Men’s Wednesday Bible study group. They later moved to The Villages, Florida in 2014. Joey’s motto then became “It’s my time”, and he reveled in the laid-back and fun lifestyle of their new community. There they made many dear friends, and also enjoyed travel, cruises, collecting figurines of elephants from their trips and tooling around The Villages.
Joey’s grown children Joe Luchese (Diana Luchese) and Andrea grieve the loss of their father, but find comfort in each other and his legacies. Paulo dedicates his schooling and career to Uncle Joey and is very grateful for his love and generosity. Joe & Diana’s children, who called him “Poppop”, as well as little Jasmine, Joe Sr.’s great-granddaughter. Jackie and Joanna cherish the memories of their Poppop and their many visits to his and Maria’s home in Miami, where they also got to spend time with Paulo. “Grandpa” was not a moniker that fit Joey’s youthful energy and enthusiasm for life. He was always game to try just about anything, including celebrating big birthdays at Disney theme parks, where he willingly partook of the most daring rides. Often the life of the party, Joey enjoyed horses, golf, music, motorcycles (especially Harley-Davidson), boats, fishing, and food from his Italian heritage. He was always sensitive to take good care of his family and had a way of making everyone feel like a good friend.
In his later years, and as his Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia progressed, Joey was lovingly cared for by Maria, who was tirelessly at his side as a devoted wife throughout it all. Their friends from the Fight Club (PD support group in The Villages), helped them tremendously on this journey. They both found friendship, support and love from the group and learned that no one has to stop living and enjoying life even with the challenges of the disease.
Andrea was able to visit her father and Maria over the years, Paulo made it a point to visit his Uncle Joey once a year and Joe & his family were blessed to be with him as well, including in the last days preceding his death. Along with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild, Joey’s close cousins Frances and Ray, his brother in-law, Robert (Capuro) and his wife, Barbara, survive him. Many other dear friends from Joey’s past life in Miami, as well as his and Maria’s circle of friends in The Villages, and other family members mourn his passing and will dearly miss him.
While we have lost Joe’s physical presence, we are left with the bright image of his infectious laughter, gregarious and easy-going personality, his dashing looks, and his generous and loving heart.
Arrangements made by Baldwin Brothers Funeral Home. A mass in his honor will be held at
St.Vincent de Paul, Wildwood, on February 28, 2023 at eleven in the morning, followed by Celebration of Life luncheon at Dignity Memorial, 7134 Powell Road, Wildwood.
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