Obituary
Joe Jacono, age 83, died August 29th in Edgewater, FL, with his family at his side.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 2nd, at Coronado Community United Methodist Church in New Smyrna Beach, FL, at 1:00 PM.
Joe was born in Chester, PA, October 21st, 1933, to William and Mary Jacono who have preceded him in death. Joe was a beloved husband, father, pop-pop, poppy & uncle who grew up in Chester, PA. He became a professional NHRA Division One top fuel drag racing professional. He was inducted into five different Hall of Fames including induction into the NHRA Hall of Fame in 2010.
He will be remembered for his colorful stories about family, friends and racing, and for his contribution to the world of drag racing. Joe was a drag racing pioneer in the 1950’s, racing from Canada to Florida when racing was done on back roads and beaches. He won many championships in top fuel dragsters and funny cars. To share a quote from Darwin Doll, founder of the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing, “It is a sad time in the world of drag racing. We have lost Joe Jacono. He was one of a kind and always the life of the party. He made drag racing a fun experience while never taking his eye off the competitive edge. He made us all feel like family in Division One. He supported nostalgic efforts at the York Reunion until health issues slowed his appearances with us.” In the 2018 Spring Open House at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing, there will be a dedication of Joe Jacono’s memorial block and memorabilia. There will be notification of the Memorial for Joe on the EMMR website, on York Nostalgia website, and the York Nostalgia facebook page.
Joe is survived by his wife, Vicki Jacono; two daughters, Cindy Taylor and Tracy Mercer; one son, Joseph Jacono, Jr; 8 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren, and 1 great, great child due soon.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, William (Bucky) Jacono and daughter, Lori Jacono.
Donations may be made to:
Memorial to Eastern Museum of Motor Racing:
Mail Memorial to Darwin Doll c/o York Nostalgia, P.O. Box 3675, York, PA 17402-0136. All checks should be made payable to EMMR. In the memo section of the check please mark Joe Jacono
OR
Halifax Health – Hospice Care:
https://www.halifaxhealth.org/services-treatments/our-services/hospice-care/giving/donation-portal
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