Obituary of Joseph F. Grasso

Joseph (Joe) Francis Grasso, 85, passed away quietly Thursday evening November 8th, at home with his loving wife Maria at his side. Joe was born in Rome, N. Y. on March 21, 1927, to Joseph and Lena Grasso, the seventh of eight children. Joe grew up on lower South James Street, surrounded by a host of hard working farm families of which he was very proud to be associated. He took great pride in telling many wonderful stories of his childhood growing up on the Muck Land with his family and friends. Joe graduated from RFA in 1945; he was class president and a champion orator. He then entered the military, serving with the U. S. Navy for two years. After returning home, he attended Syracuse University for the next two years. He traveled to Europe in 1949, to study voice at the Conservatoirio Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy. It was there under the warm Mediterranean sun that he would meet the woman he would spend the rest of his life with, the former Maria Cavallaro. Joe and Maria were married on April 30, 1950, and returned shortly after to the United States to make their home in Rome, New York. In 1951, Joe and his brother Mario started the Grasso Bros. Block Company. Their unique colored compressed blocks were used in many homes that to this day dot the landscape of Rome and surrounding communities. Joe later became a member of the Carpenters and Joiners Union of America, Local 120, where he worked for many years on building projects. He was later elected to be the business agent for the Local and served as a trustee for the pension plan. Joe was an active member of St. John the Baptist Parish, served 12 years on the Rome Planning Board, taught carpentry at the Verona BOCES, was an advisor for the Red Cross, a committeeman for the 3rd Ward and served as president of the Republican Men's Club of Rome. From 1959 to 1972, Joe and Maria, along with brother-in-law Frank Cavallaro hosted the bilingual "Memories of Rome" radio show on WRNY and then WKNL, featuring popular Italian music. The show was a favorite among Rome's large Italian-American community and beyond. In the 70's Joe and Maria started the first self storage business in the area, converting the old Best Ice Cream plant on Ridge St. into individual storage units. Many folks who grew up in that area of south Rome will also recall Joe's two famous German Shepard's Cesar and Fortunata. Joe was an avid builder and inventor; his most prized project was the unique stair case that he designed and built in his beautiful home overlooking Lake Delta. His "floating" staircase was featured in a national trade magazine and is truly a one of a kind masterpiece. Joe, along with his good friends Joe Tamburino and Joe Taverna, Sr., began a St. Joseph's Day celebration in Rome that has spanned more than five decades and continues to this day. He was very proud of his Italian heritage and enjoyed sharing his memories with his friends at these large gatherings, as well as his Thursday morning meetings with the guys at McDonalds, and of course no day truly began until he stopped in at Tamby's garage to chat about the day's headlines with yet another group of old friends. Joe is survived by Maria Grasso, his loving wife of 62 years; his brother Carmen and sister-in-law Ida, of Syracuse; sister Natalie Malone, sister-in-law Mary Grasso, of California; brother-in-law Frank and sister-in-law Claudia Cavallaro, of Rome; numerous nieces, nephews, and 19 godchildren; and many devoted friends. Joe was predeceased by brothers Vincent and Mario and sisters Lena Raciti, Mary Di Marco and Carmela Ritter. Joe had a heart of gold and was always ready to help anyone in need. He loved Rome with a passion and will be dearly missed by all who knew him. Funeral services will be held Tuesday at 10:15 AM from the Barry Funeral Home, and a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM at the Church of St. John the Baptist. Burial will be in St. John the Baptist Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home, Monday, 4 to 8 PM. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude's Hospital or Hospice and Palliative Care. Please offer online tributes or light a candle at: www.BarryFuneralHome.com