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December 13, 2011
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 2-4PM and 7-9PM on Friday, December 16, 2011 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral Services will be held 9:30AM on Saturday, December 17, 2011 from the funeral home then to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, where a 10:30AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Joseph V. Stocus, age 87 of Pompton Plains, formerly of Packanack Lake in Wayne, New Jersey died peacefully on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 surrounded by his children.
He was born and raised in Mahonoy City, Pennsylvania, a coal mining community of mostly immigrants. He went to St. Joseph’s School, where he learned to read, write and pray in Lithuanian. Following his graduation from high school in June 1941, he did whatever odd jobs he could find around town. After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he was too young to enlist, so he went to work in the coal mines for six months before moving to Philadelphia to work in the shipyards.
In February 1943, he was drafted into the army and sent to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for basic training. He served as a Company A 234th Combat Engineer in England, France, Belgium and Germany. He was scheduled to be sent to fight in the Pacific but never ended up going because the Japanese surrendered. He received an Honorable Discharge in December 1945.
After the war, Joe was able to attend New York University and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He was the first person in his family to graduate college, and he always said it would not have been possible without the help of the GI Bill which paid for his tuition.
Upon completing his graduation, he worked at a major public accounting firm in the Audit Division. However, most of his career was spent as a Certified Public Accountant in private practice in Ridgefield and Wayne.
Joe met his wife, Carmel, a school teacher, at the Wayne Luncheonette on a blind date. They were engaged two weeks later, and spent 56 years together before her death last May. They originally settled in Pompton Lakes, then moved to Wayne in 1961, and Packanack Lake in 1967. They raised five children together. They were parishioners at Our Lady of the Valley Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, where for many years Joe was an usher. Joe was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and The Elks.
Joe enjoyed traveling, gardening, billiards and pinnacle. He was an avid angler, and looked forward to his annual fishing trips to Canada with his long-time friends, Benny & Eddie. His family was quite entertained by his pursuit of the squirrels who used to ruin his gardens. Nothing made Joe happier than putting on his green work pants and working around the house on weekends.
Joe was a devoted father to Barbara Holden and her husband Craig of Columbia, Maryland, Richard Stocus and his wife Lana of Kennesaw, Georgia, James Stocus of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Carolyn Mallahan and her husband Joseph of Seattle, Washington, and Linda Jones and her husband Russell of Wayne, New Jersey; cherished grandfather of nine grandchildren Lauren Holden, Allison Holden Wren, Christopher Holden, Katy Stocus, Brittany Stocus, Irina Mallahan, Masha Mallahan, Sean Jones and Timmy Jones. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Stocus of Pompton Lakes.
He was predeceased by his wife, Carmel Stocus (nee Congilose), a sister Frances Stocus, and a brother Jackie Stocus.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Carol Simon Women’s Cancer Center, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, P.O. Box 109, Morristown, NJ 07962-1956 would be appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 2-4PM and 7-9PM on Friday, December 16, 2011 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral Services will be held 9:30AM on Saturday, December 17, 2011 from the funeral home then to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, where a 10:30AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
December 13, 2011
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 2-4PM and 7-9PM on Friday, December 16, 2011 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. Funeral Services will be held 9:30AM on Saturday, December 17, 2011 from the funeral home then to Immaculate Heart of Mary RC Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, where a 10:30AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Joseph V. Stocus, age 87 of Pompton Plains, formerly of Packanack Lake in Wayne, New Jersey died peacefully on Tuesday, December 13, 2011 surrounded by his children.
He was born and raised in Mahonoy City, Pennsylvania, a coal mining community of mostly immigrants. He went to St. Joseph’s School, where he learned to read, write and pray in Lithuanian. Following his graduation from high school in June 1941, he did whatever odd jobs he could find around town. After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he was too young to enlist, so he went to work in the coal mines for six months before moving to Philadelphia to work in the shipyards.
In February 1943, he was drafted into the army and sent to Hattiesburg, Mississippi for basic training. He served as a Company A 234th Combat Engineer in England, France, Belgium and Germany. He was scheduled to be sent to fight in the Pacific but never ended up going because the Japanese surrendered. He received an Honorable Discharge in December 1945.
After the war, Joe was able to attend New York University and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. He was the first person in his family to graduate college, and he always said it would not have been possible without the help of the GI Bill which paid for his tuition.
Upon completing his graduation, he worked at a major public accounting firm in the Audit Division. However, most of his career was spent as a Certified Public Accountant in private practice in Ridgefield and Wayne.
Joe met his wife, Carmel, a school teacher, at the Wayne Luncheonette on a blind date. They were engaged two weeks later, and spent 56 years together before her death last May. They originally settled in Pompton Lakes, then moved to Wayne in 1961, and Packanack Lake in 1967. They raised five children together. They were parishioners at Our Lady of the Valley Church and Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, where for many years Joe was an usher. Joe was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and The Elks.
Joe enjoyed traveling, gardening, billiards and pinnacle. He was an avid angler, and looked forward to his annual fishing trips to Canada with his long-time friends, Benny & Eddie. His family was quite entertained by his pursuit of the squirrels who used to ruin his gardens. Nothing made Joe happier than putting on his green work pants and working around the house on weekends.
Joe was a devoted father to Barbara Holden and her husband Craig of Columbia, Maryland, Richard Stocus and his wife Lana of Kennesaw, Georgia, James Stocus of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, Carolyn Mallahan and her husband Joseph of Seattle, Washington, and Linda Jones and her husband Russell of Wayne, New Jersey; cherished grandfather of nine grandchildren Lauren Holden, Allison Holden Wren, Christopher Holden, Katy Stocus, Brittany Stocus, Irina Mallahan, Masha Mallahan, Sean Jones and Timmy Jones. He is also survived by his brother, Robert Stocus of Pompton Lakes.
He was predeceased by his wife, Carmel Stocus (nee Congilose), a sister Frances Stocus, and a brother Jackie Stocus.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Carol Simon Women’s Cancer Center, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, P.O. Box 109, Morristown, NJ 07962-1956 would be appreciated.
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