Joseph F. Greco

January 18, 2019

Joseph F. Greco, 100, of Carbondale, died Friday at Moses Taylor Hospital, Scranton. His wife is Rosemary Falbo Greco.

Born in Scranton, son of the late John and Grace Gentile Greco, he served in the United States Army during World War II and was a television engineer and radio announcer. He was a lector for many years.

Joe was a man who valued family above all else. He was only five years old when his father was killed in a mining accident. Soon he was to become “the man of the house” for his mother and four siblings. He worked a myriad of jobs to provide for the family and still excelled in school and sports. His greatest desire was to go to college. Despite being accepted, there was no way the family could afford the cost. Also, there was very little the family could afford to pay for, the repairs and upkeep of their house, so, he self-taught himself the skills to perform those tasks himself. He became a carpenter, mechanic, electrician, engineer so the family could retain the home they had. He would eagerly help those who needed his advice with a job and also offered his help to finish it as well. Joseph was an avid golfer until almost 90 and quite rightly, proud of the fact that he had five holes-in-one.

His greatest joy, and main focus of his life however, was his two sons. He had always valued education and did everything he could to ensure that they would not have to work as hard during their life as he had during his. Joe did whatever was needed so that they would both get that chance for a “good education” that he had not. He will be sorely missed. The world is sadder with this loss.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, John J. Greco, M.D. and his wife, Maureen, Maryland; and Joseph P. Greco, M.D., Dalton; three granddaughters, Erin Muhley, Mary Kristen Thacher and Regan Lonchena; five great-grandchildren, Alden, Taylor and Connor Muhley, Harrison Lonchena and Brent Thacher; and a sister, Joan Castelli and husband, Richard, Moosic.

He was preceded in death by siblings, Mary, Beatrice and Frank Greco.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Carbondale. Entombment, Italian-American Cemetery, Scranton.

Arrangements by Lawrence A. Gabriel Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., 2 Hospital St., Carbondale.