Joseph Robert Padula

Joseph Robert Padula, 84, of Sarasota, FL, passed away on November 30, 2024 at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. He was born on January 19, 1940 in Newark, NJ to Matthew & Florence Padula. He had wonderful childhood memories of times spent with his immediate and large extended Italian family. They spent time at his grandparents house down the shore and the family cabin on the mountain.

After graduating from Newark High School, he continued his education at Rutgers University. He worked several jobs in sales and logistics before starting his own logistic company, Am-Chaz Transport Inc (named after his cherished cats). He continued to run his company and reside in Mt Arlington, NJ until his retirement in 2005. Upon retiring, he moved to Sarasota, FL. After several months, he realized retirement wasn’t for him and obtained a job at the local Publix as a bag boy. He loved working at Publix so much that his wife often affectionately called him “Joe Publix”. By the end of his second retirement in 2023, he had been promoted to Customer Service Manager.

Joe was an avid gardener and loved making sauce from garden tomatoes. He also loved baking cookies. In recent years he had started baking bread, which he would generously share with family and friends near and far. For almost 20 years, he also served on the Board of his HOA and took great pride in contributing to his neighborhood.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents, by his devoted wife of 47 years, Thelma May Padula (Sarasota, FL), his beloved Godmother, Genevieve Milo (Clark, NJ), and his sister, Margarite Lindenfield (Sarasota, FL).

He is lovingly remembered by his children, Christopher Padula (Wesley Chapel, FL) and Terry Kimble Cahill (New Albany, OH); his daughter-in-law, Beth Padula (Wesley chapel, FL); his grandchildren, Kristina Padula (New Port Richey, Fl) and Matthew Padula (North Hampton, PA); and his great-granddaughter, Amelia Padula.