On the morning of October 11, 2016, Joe passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in his home in Yorba Linda, CA. Joe was just a few weeks shy of 95 years old. Born Giuseppe De Stefano on October 31, 1921 in New York City, he was the youngest son of seven children born to the late Luigi De Stefano of Cicciano, Naples, Italy, and the late Marianina (nèe Caivano) De Stefano of New York. The son of immigrant parents from Southern Italy, Joe was proud of his heritage, and fiercely devoted to his family. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Brooklyn, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. Long known for his beautiful tenor voice, Joe began the study of singing at a young age with the great Neapolitan Song specialist, Clara Stella. His fondest childhood memories centered on singing â€" from singing the National Anthem at weekly assemblies throughout grade school, to singing on the Coney Island Boardwalk with his brothers. Despite many other talents, Joe knew from an early age that he wanted to be an engineer. He graduated in 1940 from Brooklyn Technical High School, one of the top high schools in the U.S., earning not only his high school diploma, but certification as a tool and die maker as well. While at Brooklyn Tech, he was active with school Glee Club, the Service Squad, played baseball, and was Ryerson Hall Chess Champion. A member of the "Greatest Generation," Joe served his country as a Machinist in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, and was trained as an aircraft mechanic. While stateside, he was assigned to the 1123rd AAF Flexible Gunnery Training Group stationed at Kingman AAF Base in Arizona, and from April 1945 to March 1946, Joe was deployed to Europe, taking part in the Rhineland Campaign, chasing Hitler's S.A. into the Alps as the war drew to a close. It was during the War, that Joe was introduced to his first wife, Frances, the sister of army buddy, Edward "Honey" Dalegowski. The couple were married in Erie, PA on March 25, 1945, shortly before Joe and Honey were shipped overseas. After the war, Joe briefly sang professionally with Fred Warring and the Pennsylvanians, and his studio recordings from that era are among the family's prized possessions. But it was his childhood dreams of being an engineer that ruled the day, and completed his degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics at Newark College of Engineering and NYU. In 1952, through relatives of the family, the couple adopted an 18-month year old little boy, whom they named Charles Louis. The family moved to Metuchen, New Jersey in 1956, where Joe worked for Gulton Industries developing the first re-chargeable flashlight. Four years later they relocated to Culver City, California, where Joe became involved in the fledgling aerospace industry. In 1968, after 23 years of marriage, Frances passed away from complications due to Rheumatic Fever contracted as a child. A little more than a year later, Joe remarried, to a beautiful young Kentucky-transplant named Sherley (nèe Catlett), whom he had met while working as a subcontractor on the Apollo Space Program. They were married on October 25, 1969 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Westwood â€" beginning a marriage that would last for 47 years. A little less than ten months later, the newly married couple welcomed a son, Joseph Michael II, into the world. The couple then settled in the sleepy suburban town of Yorba Linda in 1971, where Joe lived out the remainder of his days. As an engineer, Joe would make a name for himself in the field of strain gauge manufacturing, and his team of engineers helped to advance manufacturing and miniaturization of pressure transducers, obtaining several patents along the way, and earning him the nickname "Mr. Transducer." Variations of the manufacturing processes he helped develop are still in use today for "pressure to electrical impulse" applications â€" including the modern touch-screen. Eventually, Joe would become Vice President and General Manager of the Load Cell Division of Transducers, Inc., a position he held until he retired in 1981. While he was to spend a lifetime in engineering, he also earned a living in a number of other professions. He had worked his way through school as a cabinet maker, and owned and operated an Italian-American Grocery Store with his brothers. In 1975, he made a go at politics, running for Yorba Linda City Council, and although unsuccessful, made lasting friends out of his political rivals. Joe also dabbled in several post-retirement careers, including consulting, real estate sales, and income tax preparation.An avid athlete in his younger days, Joe also had a brief stint playing semi-professional football while in the Army, and was involved in minor league baseball with the Newark Bears, at time when they were loosely affiliated with his beloved New York Yankees. In retirement, he coached youth baseball and soccer, and bowled in several local leagues. However, it was a love for the game of golf that kept him going well into his 80's, until his health kept him from playing. Family was a central theme in his life, and he loved family vacations. During a vacation with family friends in 1984, Joe fell in love with the tropical trade winds and beautiful beaches of Hawaii, and the next fifteen years included annual trips to Maui, and of course a round (or ten) of golf. During his lifetime, Joe was an active member of several civic and religious groups including the Knights of Columbus (Council 8732); the American Legion (Post 679); VFW (Post 9030); the Italian Catholic Federation; the Loyal Order of the Sons of Italy in America, and, along with both of his sons, Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.The last of his generation, Joe was proceeded in death by his parents; six siblings; his first wife, Frances; his step-son, Kraig; and a granddaughter, Chiara. He is survived by his beloved wife of 47 years, Sherley; two loving sons, Charlie (Cath) De Stefano and Joey (Janelle) De Stefano; two beautiful granddaughters, Jennifer and Gigi; and numerous relatives and friends. Family ever important to Joe, he was happiest when surrounded by close family and friends for a game of Farkle®, drinking Coca-Cola, and eating cannoli.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:00 AM at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Yorba Linda. Burial, with military honors, will be conducted at Miramar National Cemetery on Monday, November 14, 2016 at 9:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial donations be made to the NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (NIAF).
On the morning of October 11, 2016, Joe passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in his home in Yorba Linda, CA. Joe was just a few weeks shy of 95 years old. Born Giuseppe De Stefano on October 31, 1921 in New York City, he was the youngest son of seven children born to the late Luigi De Stefano of Cicciano, Naples, Italy, and the late Marianina (nèe Caivano) De Stefano of New York. The son of immigrant parents from Southern Italy, Joe was proud of his heritage, and fiercely devoted to his family. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Brooklyn, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. Long known for his beautiful tenor voice, Joe began the study of singing at a young age with the great Neapolitan Song specialist, Clara Stella. His fondest childhood memories centered on singing â€" from singing the National Anthem at weekly assemblies throughout grade school, to singing on the Coney Island Boardwalk with his brothers. Despite many other talents, Joe knew from an early age that he wanted to be an engineer. He graduated in 1940 from Brooklyn Technical High School, one of the top high schools in the U.S., earning not only his high school diploma, but certification as a tool and die maker as well. While at Brooklyn Tech, he was active with school Glee Club, the Service Squad, played baseball, and was Ryerson Hall Chess Champion. A member of the "Greatest Generation," Joe served his country as a Machinist in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, and was trained as an aircraft mechanic. While stateside, he was assigned to the 1123rd AAF Flexible Gunnery Training Group stationed at Kingman AAF Base in Arizona, and from April 1945 to March 1946, Joe was deployed to Europe, taking part in the Rhineland Campaign, chasing Hitler's S.A. into the Alps as the war drew to a close. It was during the War, that Joe was introduced to his first wife, Frances, the sister of army buddy, Edward "Honey" Dalegowski. The couple were married in Erie, PA on March 25, 1945, shortly before Joe and Honey were shipped overseas. After the war, Joe briefly sang professionally with Fred Warring and the Pennsylvanians, and his studio recordings from that era are among the family's prized possessions. But it was his childhood dreams of being an engineer that ruled the day, and completed his degrees in mechanical engineering and mathematics at Newark College of Engineering and NYU. In 1952, through relatives of the family, the couple adopted an 18-month year old little boy, whom they named Charles Louis. The family moved to Metuchen, New Jersey in 1956, where Joe worked for Gulton Industries developing the first re-chargeable flashlight. Four years later they relocated to Culver City, California, where Joe became involved in the fledgling aerospace industry. In 1968, after 23 years of marriage, Frances passed away from complications due to Rheumatic Fever contracted as a child. A little more than a year later, Joe remarried, to a beautiful young Kentucky-transplant named Sherley (nèe Catlett), whom he had met while working as a subcontractor on the Apollo Space Program. They were married on October 25, 1969 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Westwood â€" beginning a marriage that would last for 47 years. A little less than ten months later, the newly married couple welcomed a son, Joseph Michael II, into the world. The couple then settled in the sleepy suburban town of Yorba Linda in 1971, where Joe lived out the remainder of his days. As an engineer, Joe would make a name for himself in the field of strain gauge manufacturing, and his team of engineers helped to advance manufacturing and miniaturization of pressure transducers, obtaining several patents along the way, and earning him the nickname "Mr. Transducer." Variations of the manufacturing processes he helped develop are still in use today for "pressure to electrical impulse" applications â€" including the modern touch-screen. Eventually, Joe would become Vice President and General Manager of the Load Cell Division of Transducers, Inc., a position he held until he retired in 1981. While he was to spend a lifetime in engineering, he also earned a living in a number of other professions. He had worked his way through school as a cabinet maker, and owned and operated an Italian-American Grocery Store with his brothers. In 1975, he made a go at politics, running for Yorba Linda City Council, and although unsuccessful, made lasting friends out of his political rivals. Joe also dabbled in several post-retirement careers, including consulting, real estate sales, and income tax preparation.An avid athlete in his younger days, Joe also had a brief stint playing semi-professional football while in the Army, and was involved in minor league baseball with the Newark Bears, at time when they were loosely affiliated with his beloved New York Yankees. In retirement, he coached youth baseball and soccer, and bowled in several local leagues. However, it was a love for the game of golf that kept him going well into his 80's, until his health kept him from playing. Family was a central theme in his life, and he loved family vacations. During a vacation with family friends in 1984, Joe fell in love with the tropical trade winds and beautiful beaches of Hawaii, and the next fifteen years included annual trips to Maui, and of course a round (or ten) of golf. During his lifetime, Joe was an active member of several civic and religious groups including the Knights of Columbus (Council 8732); the American Legion (Post 679); VFW (Post 9030); the Italian Catholic Federation; the Loyal Order of the Sons of Italy in America, and, along with both of his sons, Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.The last of his generation, Joe was proceeded in death by his parents; six siblings; his first wife, Frances; his step-son, Kraig; and a granddaughter, Chiara. He is survived by his beloved wife of 47 years, Sherley; two loving sons, Charlie (Cath) De Stefano and Joey (Janelle) De Stefano; two beautiful granddaughters, Jennifer and Gigi; and numerous relatives and friends. Family ever important to Joe, he was happiest when surrounded by close family and friends for a game of Farkle®, drinking Coca-Cola, and eating cannoli.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:00 AM at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Yorba Linda. Burial, with military honors, will be conducted at Miramar National Cemetery on Monday, November 14, 2016 at 9:30 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate memorial donations be made to the NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION (NIAF).
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