Dear Aunt JoAnn, 
   I can't put into words the loss I feel ...he will be greatly missed.  
With love, 
Nancy Jean Conti Predale

Dear Jo-Ann, My heart is heavy with the loss of my brother Joe. He lived a good life full of joy with the necessary throes of life.  He was very good to my family and me and we will always treasure him.  You took such good care of him.   Love Hilda

Recited by Father Anthony Mulderry at Joe's funeral:

Death is Nothing At All

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other
That we are still
Call me by my old fmiliar name
Speak to me in the easy way you always used
Put no difference into your tone
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow
Laugh as we always laughed
At the little jokes we always enjoyed together
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me
Let my name be ever the household word that it always was
Let it be spoken without effort
Without the ghost of a shadow in it
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolute unbroken continuity
What is death but a neglible accident
Why should I be out of mind
Because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you for an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner
All is well.
Nothing is past, nothing is lost
One brief moment and all will be as it was before
How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

Canon Henry Scott-Holland

Maryanne honored her Uncle Joe in such a beautiful way.  Her words speak volumes of how she and the other nieces and nephews felt about their Uncle Joe and Aunt JoAnn.  Her tribute says a lot about all the love and respect they had for both of you, as do all of us.  You both touched a lot of lives, and left an everlasting impression on all of us.  We are all better for it.  I know Joe is looking down from the heavens and smiling.

A few thoughts on Uncle Joe.

I have moved down to the bar room in my house to sit at my computer quietly while I reflect on my Uncle Joe.  The first thing to hit me is the stark contrast of the silence and solitude of this bar I sit at now, and those bars I remember sitting around as a child / teen observing Uncle Joe.  Being as I was younger at the time of these memories, I recall being more of an observer that an actual, "in the moment" participant.  At the time, I was not offering my perspective on the political matters of the day, telling a tale or a joke, or singing the songs, but I was taking it all in and in my life today draw from these memories.

Thinking about those times, Uncle Joe was at the center of it.  I primarily remember the way he communicated and connected with family. Most, if not all of my context with Uncle Joe, comes from being with him and observing him at family gatherings.  Warmth and joy are most notable feelings I can remember when reflecting on those times.  I really think Uncle Joe had the talent of keeping us all close, as close as possible, I am talking about proximity when visiting.  Uncle Joe seemed to be the guy that would draw us all close together so we could really get to know each other through sharing stories, joke, ideas, songs,…whatever it was, you had to be close in proximity order to really connect, understand, and make memories with those you love. 

I remember how Uncle Joe would so often be the one telling a story, but I also remember how he would intently listen and draw from the perspective, stories, tales and songs of others. I remember observing his connection in that regard.  Uncle Joe would show a true respect for the other story-tellers-singers-family member in the room.  He wanted to draw things out of people, encourage them to share.  I think his voice was perfect for stories, jokes, and songs. I remember his eyes being a big part of how he connected. He seemed to be an effortless communicator and listener. I think he gathered stories and shared them and likely giving credit to who ever told him the story of joke.

I remember the video shoot where he set up all those bits for us and made us ad-lib. That was so much fun and such a valuable experience. I think every time I am video taped I think of that time we all had making that video.

Spoken by Maryanne Koechley at Joe's funeral mass:

Uncle Joe: 

Husband

Son

Brother

Uncle

Friend

For all of us that were blessed by knowing him, he leaves a legacy of friendship, family and love.   He and Aunt JoAnn were a great team during their wonderful life together.  We were lucky to be a part of their journey… and we are better for it.

Uncle Joe's gifts were many, chief among them: His legendary humor and Intelligence…going hand in hand…creating amazing memories. No doubt most of these memories involve Uncle Joe joining his family and friends at a table, or a bar…and upon his arrival, the fun would begin.  All of us here have felt the anticipation of good times to come…the stories and jokes that would unfold.  He would use funny words and phrases, he would make words up, and would introduce crazy characters.  Of course, there was always a song… or two…or three...      

He would delight in others contributing their stories as well.  His stories set forth energy in the room.  As he confidently moved the crowd from topic to topic, he naturally drew out others to participate and share.  In the process, he drew us all closer, creating bonds among us that strengthened our sense of family, and our pride in traditions. He made us fiercely proud to be in this family together, fiercely proud to be Irish.  Thanks to Aunt JoAnn, we became proud honorary Italians as well.

As great as he was in a crowd, he was equally great one-on-one…as engaged and energetic he was as an entertainer, he was equally engaged and energetic as a listener – yet another great gift of his. Whether the subject was current events, travel, cooking, politics, or, the latest episode of Mad Men – I always cherished my long talks with Uncle Joe & Aunt JoAnn.

Perhaps his greatest gift of all was his ability to enjoy the beauty of the here and now.  His passion for life… his engagement of all his senses – was inspiring.  I take great comfort in knowing that – although he left us too soon – in addition to feeling the love of Aunt JoAnn, and his extended family – he thoroughly enjoyed the simple things:  The serenity of seeing sunsets; the feel of an ocean breeze; the taste and smell of good food and drink, and of course, his ability to create and enjoy the sound of laughter.  It was poignant that in his final hours, his sense of hearing was sustained.  
 
Although he won't sit at our table again, we will always have our wonderful memories.  And, we will feel his presence, as he is woven into the fabric of who we are.   During our lives, we observe and learn from special people. Growing up in our family, Uncle Joe was one of those people. While God broke the mold when he created Uncle Joe, the example he set as a role model remains… 

I see him in my family…Among them, proud and loyal servicemen…no doubt inspired by Uncle Joe's service in the Navy; adept comedians and storytellers…inspired by the first comedian they knew, Uncle Joe; and fine entertainers…inspired by the legendary cocktails, amazing meals, and perfect tunes that were orchestrated by Uncle Joe, and Aunt JoAnn.   

So, he will always be with us, and in generations to come – as his fine traditions are carried forward.

As spoken by Jim Conti at Joe's funeral mass:

Tell the Halo Statchyou joke:
 

The first time I heard that joke was at the Rupy's house in Hazlet. I was very young, not sure how old. Nana and Grandpa were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. It was the 1st time I remember understanding and laughing at a grown up joke. That was Uncle Joe. He knew his audience and seemed to have a joke for every occasion.  I carry that memory with me where ever I go.

Joe told all his jokes with a passion that I have only seen rivaled by professionals. Who can forget the Lufthansa flight joke or the Australian gutter snipe joke? He had the gift of accents and superb timing.
Wherever Joe went there was a song to follow. He was at the core of our family sing along's. Joe loved my Dad and his voice. I remember once in our basement, as my Dad was singing” If I had my Way Dear” he looked at me with a tear in his eyes and winked. He was so proud of my Dad. 

He had a gift that I believe was given by the hand of God. He knew the lyrics to so many songs its mind boggling. I remember when Fran and I came to visit Joe and JoAnn; they brought us to a local Piano Bar here in Pompano. We sat there for hours singing song after song. We used the lyrics pages supplied by the Piano player …he never even glanced at them. It seemed that there wasn't one song he didn't know. His love of song covered many genres, nationalities and generations. I still remember the first time I heard Piano Man by Billy Joel. Uncle Joe played it back for us on his gigantic JBL L26 speaker's. They stood about 4ft tall and rocked that song. Joe loved his high tech toys…A love that was also passed on to me, just ask Fran…see he's to blame honey. 

Joe graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in the Bronx. He was in good company as some of the notable alumni are Regis Philbin, Martin Scorsese, Bernard McGuirk and George Carlin. There must have be something in that Bronx water…In our minds, Joe was funnier, more engaging and more creative than all of the aforementioned alumni put together.
 
Joe joined the Navy and the Blimp corp. His ship, the Reliance, took off from Lakehurst for a training flight at 7:30 a.m. on July 6, 1960.  Besides the training flight, the Reliance had been ordered to join a search-and-rescue mission for a racing yacht, the Vat 69, which was overdue on a trip from Bermuda to New York. (A Navy submarine would later find that yacht safe the same day off Long Island.)

The Reliance flew south, past Barnegat Light to about 30 miles east of Cape May, where it turned north.

At 2 p.m., the blimp flew low, about 150 feet, over the Barnegat Lightship. But at about 2:30 p.m. "a blowout or a burst, a loud crash, like a crack of thunder." as it was described, was heard.

Their altitude was 500 feet.

Whatever happened, it happened so quickly and with such devastating impact that the crew of the Reliance had no time to sound alarms, initiate ditching procedures, or even make a Mayday call. 

The 403-foot-long Navy blimp had plunged from the sky, killing 18 of its 21 officers and crew members. Uncle Joe, after cutting himself out of the fuselage was one of the three survivors.

Although Uncle Joe never spoke to me about the details of that sunny day in July, I'm sure it must have been behind his lust for life. Like so many of our countries hero's he probably felt he would make his life a testament to his shipmates.

Time went by and Uncle Joe despite being awakened daily by Nana to the sound of “wake up Joseph the parties over!” did as any other bachelor did until he met Aunt JoAnn…

Joe and JoAnn married. I remember how excited my sister Norah was when she was asked to be the flower girl. Man was she tough to live with… 

Joe and JoAnn were our cool Aunt and Uncle. They always seemed to be on the cutting edge of everything! When we landed on Moon, Joe and JoAnn were at our house. The cool part for me, as a 9 year old, wasn't that human beings were actually going to put steps on another planet…it was that Joe and JoAnn brought a container of cheese that they put little indentations in to simulate the surface of the moon…Brilliant! Who but my cool Aunt and Uncle could have thought of that!? Not that every memory revolves around cheese…I also remember My Mom's first Fondue party. Aunt JoAnn showed up early to help Mom out as she was an old Pro at this…

“Joey” as he called her, was his soul mate. I remember when I told Joe about asking Fran to marry me, he advised that if I was ½ as happy as he was…the marriage would be great success…Joe you were right again… 

Joe and JoAnn show us that, love, dedication, tolerance, support, balance, good food and fun is the makeup of a successful partnership…I try to emulate those traits in my marriage.

I have many things to be thankful for in my life and one of them is having my Uncle like Joe. He had the gift of making each person around him feel special. I am sure we all have our own stories to tell that support this fact. He got that gift from Grandpa…

Uncle Joe gave me my 1st pair of drum sticks that I still have. He, like my Dad, taught me that whatever life throws at you, a way to endure can be found. He was brave, loving, funny, and intelligent and always thought provoking. We will all miss him dearly, as he was at the center of our family core.

The day will come, not too soon I hope…when we will all gather. The whole family Culligan's , The Albasini's…My Dad, and will once again be led by Uncle Joe in best sing-along of all…

Dear Aunt Joann,

From Keansburg through Atlantic Highlands and beyond...
From the beginning - my goal was to try to deliver a laugh and help share true joy like my Uncle Joe. In my 60 years (dear God)...Every single memory I have of Joe is one that makes me smile. 

From teaching me to play the spoons, or do a triplet roll on the snare drums, to getting the accent of Mario just right (like Pat Cooper as Pasquale Gaputo) - Uncle Joe is my idol on celebrating life!

He truly loved family. He adored his sisters, in a special way - Mary & always loved her kids! My sisters Maureen and Barbara and I were always treated special by Uncle Joe & by Aunt Joann. The Shea kids always were so far away in Massachusetts or out in Ohio ... Joe & Joann always made a special trip & gave us great joy and caring at every opportunity. All the Shea's, Conti's, Dormady's, and Rupy's were inspired to sing, dance, laugh, and celebrate each moment we had by our Uncle Joe. 

Uncle Joe made me laugh so hard as a youngster I would just sit there and wait for the next dose of laughter. I never had to wait very long. There was always another dose! 

With that, Joe had a wisdom of his impact. He cherished the chance to bring joy. A genuine good man with a huge and generous heart. Uncle Joe let you know you were special to him & everyone was made to feel they were special...Everyone.

So I thank God for this good man! He was a very special gift to us all.
Thank you for loving me so wonderfully Uncle Joe. 
May God bless all who have been touched by Joe, and May God bless his life's true love, Joann.

Dear Aunt JoAnn,
I share your sense of loss with the passing of your soulmate. I know he will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

We live in a disutopian world, wrought with injustice, fractured families and unfair debilitating illnesses. I believe  it is by design so that the best among us can shine through and become an inspiration. 

Perhaps it was because my uncle had a near-death experience early in life in the navy ( as was probably constantly reminded as he sat on the back porch watching the Goodyear blimps leave their Pompano moorings), that he had such a "Joy de Vivre". He married well, stayed above the fray of the petty and petulant, and was always positive despite reasons that would drive lesser people into deep depression. 

I will always remember his quick wit, his exceptional gift for storytelling, and his desire to enjoy life. His stories served not just to entertain but to educate.

My guess is that now that Joe is there, there might be just a little more laughter in heaven.  God Bless!

Rest in peace, dear Joe. Thanks for all the wonderful times at Coastal Vista. We will always remember you....

Dear Aunt JoAnn- I am very sorry Uncle Joe's passing. Joe new how to make folks laugh. I for one will never forget the "yucka yucka" snake joke. He will be missed.

Dear Aunt JoAnn  - Uncle Joe touched all our lives in a very special way and we all have our own favorite memories of laughter, songs, jokes, skits and love. I can honestly say it is hard to put into words all the gifts he had, and how he shared those gifts so unselfishly.  We will miss him dearly.
Regina Conti Purcell

Dear JoAnn: We are all so sorry for your loss.  As you know, they broke the mold with Uncle Joe.  He was a wonderful human being who I can honestly say introduced me to the beauty and importance of laughter!  Some of my earliest memories as a child were of listening to Uncle Joe masterfully tell countless jokes to an enthralled audience.  Whenever we were gathered together as a family, I always knew I could find Uncle Joe by following the sound of laughter -- and believe me, as a child there was nobody I wanted to be around more than Uncle Joe.  But even more importantly, Uncle Joe provided all of us young boys with the perfect example of how to become a great man: love your family, share in the joys of life, be a great listener, make 'em laugh, never stop learning, and enjoy every moment of life – particularly the small things.  All of us were truly blessed having him in our lives.  Although he will be sorely missed, I know that through his example he remains a strong part of all us.  We will see you soon.  Much love.

Hi JoAnn - Dick and I have many wonderful memories of the two of you in Mt. Laurel.  No one could tell a joke or stories like Joe. We remember him as a good, solid, special guy.  He will be missed

Dear JoAnn - Joe always left me with a smile on mine face and so has the video gallery.  They say it's not what you do for a person but how you make them feel and being with Joe I was always laughing and happy to be with him and you, too, of course.  Love, Cousin Debbie

Lyndee and I really miss having the gang around. The dinners, trips, cocktail hour and the laughter that Joe created with his many jokes. Every party Joe brought the music and made everyone laugh. He will be truly missed. We miss you all. God Bless. 
                                          Jim and Lyndee Callahan (Tulsa,OK)

Dear JoAnn, As much as Joe was a gift to all who loved & knew him, you were his greatest gift. He leaves us with countless memories & lots of laughs, but he leaves the most with you. May you find comfort in them in the days ahead. Thank you for the wonderful memorial, it only touched the surface, but nothing could ever tell his amazing story. Love always, Maureen

My Uncle Joe …. Master communicator, expert joke teller with accents galore, ability to captivate any audience with his expressive and detailed story telling, lover of music and singing and taught my siblings and I most of the songs we still know and love today; smart, well read and could speak to any topic, great listener, kind, warm, happy, family oriented, courageous, positive, loyal son, brother, brother-in-law, Uncle and husband to the love of his life, our wonderful Aunt JoAnn.  He made a very significant impact on my life and the lives of my siblings and parents adding joy, love and laughter.  We all loved and respected him very much and will surely miss him because there will never be anyone quite like him. Rest in peace dear Uncle Joe and thank you for your fine example.

Joe leaves us with great memories of laughter and cheer.  Many special moments etched in our hearts shall be cherished.  His incredible sense of humor with the ability to set the scene will be sorely missed.  His cooking talents and entertaining ways were special times!  Joe had a way of making everyone feel so welcome!  A true treasure in Heaven!

   JoAnn, It was my honor to have met JOE for the first time when you guys had me for dinner. He was a great guy and a wonderful husband and friend. We all will miss him. You have a wonderful family to help support you. GOD BLESS. With Love, Your friend Always, DANNY FALLONE

Joe,
My fondest memory of you is when you me and the girls spent the day at  the Lantana Octoberfest.  What a great time we had.  Joe, you told a joke better than anyone i know especially when told in one of your many accents.  Everyone has that someone they hope is at an event or party.  Things are always that much better when they are there.  You were that someone for me.  You left us too soon and I will miss you dearly.  Make 'em laugh in heaven.  Love you ..... Ty

No one told a joke like Joe.  He always was so entertaining and kept everyone happy and laughing.  I love him so much and I love you too, JoAnn.  Love ~

I have so many wonderful memories of Joe.  I especially loved his zest for gourmet cooking, wonderful dinners at your home and Joe always coordinating the music to the ethnicity of the meal.  It was always so much fun, and I will miss him dearly.  With much love...

Joe, Thank you for all the wonderful memories you gave my family.  My children and I will remember them always!  Joann, may you find comfort in the wonderful times you shared. We love you both.

What a wonderful memorial JoAnn has done for Joe.  He has been so special all his life to so many people who loved him and you can tell from all the fond pictures, he and JoAnn had some special days together - lots of good memories for all of us.  Will miss him and all the input he gave, his wit, conversation and fun stories, Love,
Bernie Culligan

JoAnn..I am so sorry to hear of Joe's passing.  I have wonderful memories of the good times we shared.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Bob Kovanda (Westmont, Illinois)

My thoughts are with all of you. JoAnn, take good care of yourself now.

I'm sure he has Saint Peter listening to oompa music and having a 
couple of brews . Miss you Uncle Joe  . Thanks for all the GREAT memories !!

Love to you JoAnn. He will always be with you. ((Hugs)) Cuz Arlene

I loved Joe's wonderful spirit! He will be dearly missed. Sending love and prayers your way, JoAnn

OBITUARY

Joseph Joe G. Culligan

January 2, 1940 – October 23, 2013

Kraeer-Fairchild Funeral Home and Cremation Center

Show your support

Add a Memory

Share Obituary

Get Updates

Services