Joseph J Parise

U.S. Army
1943-1945
WWII


Staff Sgt Joseph J. Parise led a long full life in Port Richmond from his birth in 1909. He died at 95.

In his younger days he was surrounded by his family, Italian immigrant parents Giuseppe and Maria and siblings Vincent (Jimmy), Humbert, Mamie, John and Julia on the family farm.

In 1943 he enlisted in the U.S. Army and saw the world from Camp Upton, LI to Camp Suon, NC then to California; Tasmania, Perth, Australia; Bombay, Dubree, Dickom, Oakley and Assam India.

While serving in India he helped run a 70 warehouse network spanning from Popagani to Dickom. He was in charge of food supplies for the China/Burma/India area. He was very proud to tell everyone that he supervised 600 civilian workers, two sergeants, two corporals, sixteen privates and two cooks!

He returned home in 1945 and built a new home on the family property where he grew up. He married Rose “Rita” Evans, who herself had experienced the war as a survivor of the London Blitz.

Joe worked as a maintenance engineer for the NYC Transit Authority for 22 years, fixing turnstiles until his retirement in 1979.

He was a devoted member of the Gold Star Post and attained honors and lifetime membership and was a fixture at Cichon Post on election days.

At first glance Joe was a cantankerous man but those who were lucky, were allowed to see the soft side of him. He was kind and generous to children, animals of all sorts and often tended to strays. Although he had no biological children, he had a myriad of nieces and nephews, many that he treated like his own.

For decades, Joe could be seen outside his home tending to his beloved garden, sitting in a chair listening to a baseball game or talking to neighbors or passers by. He died in 2004. Two of his great nieces still live on the original family property today.


Sponsored by The Petrizzo and Tierney Families