Joe Finocchiaro
December 31st, 2019
Robert Crimmins
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Joe Finocchiaro, Jr. died on Christmas Eve in his sleep at the age of 64. He was a great friend to some very fortunate people.
He was a Marine Sergeant during the Vietnam War and although in Vietnam waters and definitely in the war zone he would never claim he was a Vietnam Vet. Without actually seeing combat he didn’t feel he was entitled to the distinction. He was “Recon” with two Meritorious Mast Citations as well as a Demolition / Explosive Ordinance Instructor, a Military Police Cross Country Chaser and numerous other qualifications and awards.
Joe was always very proud of being a United States Marine.
He was a building contractor and a master carpenter with Recon Builders, LLC, a company he operated since 1984. He applied his building and construction management skills to hospital additions, single and multi-family residences and major renovations. He most recently aided in significant renovations to the Bellanca Airfield Museum & The Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame in New Castle. He was also the building inspector for the Town of Bellefont, Delaware.
He attended the Flight Safety Academy, Vero Beach, Florida and Spartan School of Aeronautics, Tulsa, OK. He was a flight instructor, with multiple ratings, a Sea Plane pilot and a jump pilot for a skydiving demonstration team and a parachuting drop zone.
A gifted athlete Joe attended Mt. Pleasant High School where he was a finalist in the Delaware State Wrestling Tournament in 1973, and an All State football player. He was a Tang Soo Doo First Degree Black Belt in karate and he ran marathons in Alaska, Florida, California, Mexico and Hawaii. He could be seen on the track at Bellevue State Park in any weather where he ran ten miles like it was nothing. He was also a certified Open Water Diver. He was a very good Ping-Pong player. Sometimes (not very often) he would even beat his son Joey at the table in his extra-deep (14 foot!) basement.
He will be remembered by friends and family for being a loving father, a man of integrity and loyalty, and for his laughter. He could charm anybody with his smile and quick, sometimes dry, wit.
He is survived by his son Joey Finocchiaro and his daughter Alicia Gray and her husband Nick and Joe's grand daughter Gabriella. Because of Joe both his son and daughter are black belts too. He is also survived by his sister Mariann Finocchiaro.
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