Joseph Massood

Joseph Massood, age 93, of Franklin Lakes passed Sunday, March 15, 2026.

He was born and raised in South Paterson one of ten children where he also met the love of his life Virginia Palazzone at a ballroom dance on Main Street in Paterson Their first date was a memorable one, Joe was driving Virginia home in a 1942 Oldsmobile when the car broke down Joe couldn’t get the car to start so he took off the license plate and abandoned the car. But Virginia knew this was the man for her. They married on May 24, 1959, at the Sacred Heart Church in Paterson. They honeymooned in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Venezuela before returning to Fort Lauderdale. They had a loving and devoted marriage of 62 years before Virginia’s passing on November 8, 2021.  After they were married, they moved into the Stony Road section of Paterson where they began raising a family before building their dream home in Franklin Lakes, NJ.

Joe began his working life on a Rhode Island farm, where he developed a strong  work ethic caring and tending to racehorses.  Drawing on that same hardworking spirit, he eventually joined forces with his brothers to establish MGM Transport Company in Totowa, NJ where he started behind the wheel as a truck driver before working his way up into management.  Under Joe and his brothers’ guidance, the company grew into a thriving cross-country furniture carrier, expanding its reach with strategically placed depots in Totowa, NJ, High Point, NC, Florida, and several other states.  Officially incorporated on May 19, 1951, MGM Transport built a proud legacy that spanned more than five decades.

Joe was a man of deep and abiding Catholic faith, serving as a devoted member of Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Franklin Lakes, where he felt called to serve his community as a Eucharistic Minister.  His generous and caring nature extended well beyond the church walls- he was the kind of man who filled a room with warmth and laughter, blessed with a great sense of humor that endeared him to all.  He was an avid golfer and member of North Jersey Country Club in Wayne, where he cultivated many cherished friendships over the years. At home Joe shared a special bond with his beloved German Shepherds – Colonel, Caesar, and Kashmir – who were as much a part of his life as any family member.  A passionate New York Giants fan, he loved settling in to watch football, he also found joy in watching Turner Classic Movies, game shows, and Westerns on television.  The outdoors called to him as well and whether he was hunting, fishing, or heading down to Wildwood Crest, where he was happiest stretched out in the sun or swimming in the ocean, soaking up every moment of life with the same joyful enthusiasm that defined everything he did. Anyone who knew Joe understood he had a big bark but a bigger heart.

Joseph was the loving husband of the late Virginia (nee Palazzone) Massood (d.2021); loving father of Joseph A. Massood, esq. of Wayne, Dr. Stephen M. Massood of Franklin Lakes, Debra S. Massood of Franklin Lakes, and the late Gregory P. Massood (d.2016); cherished grandfather of Dr. Alec Massood of Franklin Lakes and Kyle Massood of Hackensack; he was the loved brother of Shirley Massood of Hawthorne; and the late Michael Massood, George Massood, Abert Massood, Louis (Babe) Massood, Rose Ward, Jeanette Kishfy, Gloria Massoud, and Josephine Massoud.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations to Most Blessed Sacrament Church, 787 Franklin Lakes Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 would be greatly appreciated. (be sure to write in the memo section of your check - "In Memory of Joseph Massood.")