Joseph Paul Bodo Jr.

Joseph Paul Bodo, Jr., DDS, age 88, died on August 7, 2019 at his home in Tampa of cardiac arrest. He was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania to Joseph Paul Bodo, Sr. and Esther (Hammel) Bodo. His early education was in Pittsburg, but at the age of eight, Joe's mother passed away. His father remarried his step-mother, Rita McMacken, and the family moved to Tampa, FL in 1947.Joe graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1950 and continued his education receiving a BS degree from the University of Tampa in 1954. Joe started his dental education at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, MD. There he met Carolyn Welsh on a blind date and in his senior year, Carolyn and Joe were married. That blind date turned into a 60 year marriage with four children, Ann Elizabeth Tavino (Tom), Joseph Paul Bodo III (Gina), Mary Alice Jones (Eric) and William Samuel Bodo, along with six grandchildren Emily and Elyse Tavino, Anthony and Joanna Bodo, and Travis and Garrett Jones. He is predeceased by his wife Carolyn, his parents and brothers George, James and Charles. Joe served as a Navy dentist with the US Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. After military service, he relocated back to Tampa where he established a private dental practice for over fifty years, finally retiring at age 80. Joe took an active role in his profession and loved caring for his patients. He served as President of six dental organizations and was a Fellow in the American and International College of Dentists. He was appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate as an examiner for the Florida Board of Dentistry. Joe enjoyed giving back to the community by working many hours at Tampa Family Health Care Clinics and was a member of the Greater Tampa Sertoma Club. Joe enjoyed being with family and took many trips, camping at many National and StateParks. He completed all the Sacraments to convert the Roman Catholic Church and had a deep faith in his God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Paul Catholic Church in Tampa on August 29, 2019 at 2:00 pm. Burial with Military Honors will take place at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL on Friday, August 30, 2019.