We wished fair winds to Joseph Norris Vecchione on Saturday, June 1. Joe was born in 1929 in Neptune, New Jersey to Helen and Felix Vecchione. Despite being born on the brink of the Great Depression, Joe's childhood, shared with his beloved older brother Hap, was a happy one. Helen was an exceptional person- a librarian, poet, painter, photographer, and gardener. She doted on her boys, and was the inspiration for Joe's artistic endeavors. Felix was creative in the ways he provided for his family; Joe often spoke about accompanying his dad to the beach to fish for the family's dinner. Felix went on to be a contractor and carpenter, and his lessons in woodworking influenced Joe throughout his life.

Growing up on the Jersey shore made for an adventurous upbringing. As a teen, Joe worked and played along the Asbury Park boardwalk, hawking skeeball and scooping ice cream. He and Hap frequented local music halls, seeing the greats of the big band era. After high school Joe enlisted in the Air Force, training in the maintenance of fighter plane wing cameras, and enteraining troops overseas by performing in touring comedies. A bus accident cut short his time in the military, but Joe recovered and enrolled at the University of Miami, studying journalism and editing numerous campus publications. Joe's subsequent career was wide-ranging. He reported for the Miami News, covering local stories and interviewing such notables as Louis Armstrong and Jerry Lewis. He produced programming in the early years of public television in Buffalo. As a freelance writer and editor for Goodyear Racing and Norton Motorsports, he frequented the infields of many a professional racetrack. Joe spent the last 20 years of his professional career with Newtel and Associates in Worcester, MA, lending his talents to fundraising campaigns for numerous non-profit organizations.

Joe was a true renaissance man. He was as comfortable behind a typewriter as he was in a woodshop. He wrote, painted, sailed, took flying lessons, cooked, built furniture, and loved classical music as much as he loved bluegrass. He shared these interests with his favorite - and only - daughter, Lisa. They often took Sunday drives together, exploring the back roads of New England and chatting with folks they met along the way. Joe could tell a story with the best of them, but listened as well, and left an impression of profound kindness with anyone he met. He loved spending his final years in southern Rhode Island, drawing artistic inspiration from the surrounding waters, visiting with his grandkids, brewing beer with his son-in-law Jeff and the "brew crew", driving part-time for a local car dealership, and enjoying the company of his loving and funny group of friends, who could always spot Joe coming by the sight of his signature bucket hat.

Joe passes his legacy of creativity and kindness on to his daughter Lisa Kerr, her husband Jeff, and his beloved grandchildren Caellum and Emma. He also leaves behind his former spouse Beverly Ulvila, with whom he shared a decades-long friendship, as well as his stepson Scott Stephenson, Scott's wife Melanie, and their daughters Savanna and Mystic. He was a cherished uncle to Lin Rumph, Michael Vecchione, Joel Vecchione, and Tysh Vecchione, and their families. The friends he leaves behind are too numerous to mention, but each held an important place in his life. Joe was predeceased by many special people including his parents, brother Hap, foster sister Audrey, aunt Elizabeth, and friend and former spouse, Jody Ziegler, all of whom he held close in his heart until the end.

No formal memorial is planned at this time. Joe's family invites you to honor him in a way that speaks to you. Wear a bucket hat, break open your favorite box of chardonnay, write a poem, paint a picture, sit by the water, call a friend, chat with a stranger, and gift the world with a bit of kindness.