Joseph Minardi

Sturtevant- Joseph Minardi, 84, passed away peacefully at his home on Wednesday, September 10, 2008. Joe was born in Triggiano, Italy on January 11, 1924 to the late Frank and Louise (nee: Caccuciolo) Minardi, moving to the United States in 1946. On July 28, 1951 in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, he was united in marriage with the love of his life, Lucie Marie Carpino. Joe’s heart was broken when his Lucie died on June 30, 2006. Joe was employed for over 27 years at American Motors / Chrysler until his retirement on January 11, 1986. He also served as the rental property inspector for the Village of Sturtevant for many years. With a profound Catholic faith, he had been a member of St. Patrick, St. Sebastian and St. Lucy parishes. Joe had an incredible sense of humor and a gift for making loved ones laugh. He was a self-made handyman and a self-proclaimed “Chef”; enjoyed being a grandfather, singing and dancing with his Lucie. Joe was forever seen throughout our community riding his one-of-a-kind scooter. Above all, Joe absolutely adored and cherished “his girls” and treasured being in the surroundings of his entire family. Surviving are his prized daughters, Clara (Donald) Pappenfuss, LuAnn Minardi and JoEllyn (Patrick) McLeod; grandsons, Kyle and Keith McLeod; and Gregory Pappenfuss; sisters, Mena Serrechia and Anna Campobasso; sisters-in-law, Dorothea Carpino and Antoinette Minardi; his extended family, who were his tireless live-in caretakers, Roman Piotrowski and Tom Blasiak; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends too numerous to mention by name. One of Joe’s dreams was to see is three grandsons off to college-which he was proudly able to see. In addition to his parents and wife, Joe was preceded in death by his brother, Tony Minardi; Lucie’s parents, Louis and Clara (nee: Galizia) and brothers-in-law, Guy (Connie), Joe (Cathy) and Harry Carpino. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 10 am in St. Lucy Catholic Church, 3101 Drexel Ave., with Rev. Mark R. Jones and Rev. Cletus V. Uhen officiating. Entombment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, Hwy 32. Immediately following the cemetery service, family and friends are invited to join together in continuing to celebrate Joe’s life at Cortese’s Restaurant, 1300 Sheridan Road. Visitation will be in the funeral home on Friday from 4-8 pm and in the church on Saturday from 9-10 am. A special note of thanks to Wheaton Franciscan Hospice for their compassionate end-of-life care; and to our dear Roman, for everything you have done for our Daddy, especially for the comfort given in his final hours. God bless all of you!