He went to school through the sixth grade, then left in order to work.

He met Margaret E. Williamson at a dance in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. They dated for "about a year", and were married on 25 August 1931 at Saint Anne's Church, Westville, N J. They had two sons, Joseph and Patrick.

Joe first worked for the Corp. of Engineers, on a boat in the Delaware River, and later worked for the Sears Department Store. This was during the Depression, and since he and Margaret had little money, they lived with his parents in  their small house on Jefferson Ave. in National Park. It was here that their first son, Joseph, was born. They saved their money until they were able to rent a house on Mormensing Ave. in Philadelphia. Margaret's grandfather lived with them. Later, they moved back to National Park, to a small house next to the Fire Station on Wesley Avenue. Months later, they moved into the attic of Gus and Stella Dowdell's house (210 Girard Ave.), until they were able to afford another home nearby on Woodlawn Avenue. It was here that their second son, Patrick, was born.

In Philadelphia on 22 March 1944, (at the age of 33, married, father of two and exempt from military service) he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps( 5th Marine Division, 6th War Dog Platoon). He decided to enlist because of the outrage he felt for the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Click here for more information and photos of his military career. Margaret and her boys were living in Philadelphia during this time. She got a job at the Philly Navy Yard, in order to support her family and her country. She wrote letters to her GI Joe everyday... 

Times were difficult and stressful after Joe's return from the war, and it took a toll on his marriage. Joseph and Margaret were officially divorced on 4 August 1952.

He met Evelyn Rita Beckett at the wedding of Jim and Marge Connelly. They were later married on 6 August 1952 at Justice of the Peace, 6413 Market Street, Millbourne, Pennsylvania. They had three children, Edward, Maureen, and Daniel.

Joseph was very active in St. Matthew's Catholic Church in National Park, NJ. He constructed their first bingo board in the 1940's, and helped remodel the parish in early 1980's. He also acted as the unofficial custodian, snow shoveller and handyman.

An article and photo was published in the Woodbury, New Jersey Daily Times ( 26 August 1974 Page 2, "His Flag Flies Low") when he protested President Gerald Ford's nomination of Nelson Rockefeller as vice president. Joseph flew his American flag upside down and at half mast in protest, as this is a recognized  distress signal in the military.

He was awarded the Gloucester County Good Citizen Award on 15 December 1975.
A photo of him can be found in the Gloucester County Times (Woodbury, N.J. 28 May 1990 page A-4) observing Memorial Day Weekend.

In 1991, The White House named him one of President Bush's "Points of Light", and he was also honored in a ceremony at a National Association of Counties Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. This was in recognition for his years of community service and service to the elderly. After his retirement from Texaco, he did countless handyman duties for the elderly and disabled. He and his wife Evelyn even provided dinner every day for an elderly women until she entered a nursing home, then they continued to help her in medical and legal dealings. He was chosen Gloucester County's Senior Citizen for 1991, and honored by Governor Jim Florio.

Joseph died at home on 20 September 1991 at 401 Columbia Blvd., National Park, surrounded by his family. He was buried on 25 September 1991 at New Saint Mary's Cemetery, Bellmawr, New Jersey.