JOSEPH D'ANNUNZIO Jr. (1925 - 2017)
Obituary
Joseph Carlyle D'Annunzio Jr. TALLAHASSEE, FL
Joseph Carlyle D'Annunzio Jr., 91 entered God's kingdom on Tuesday, March 21, 2017, as he lay in the loving arms of his wife
of 46 years, Barbara, in his Golden Eagle home where he had lived for over 25
years. Born in Philadelphia, PA, on Oct. 1, 1925, Joe soon moved to Trenton,
NJ. In school, Joe excelled in academics and sports. Unable to accept an
appointment to Annapolis due to an eye problem, Joe entered the U.S. Navy V-12
program. This earned him a B.S. in engineering from Columbia University in New
York City and a Navy commission. He was elected to the Tau Beta Pi engineering
fraternity for having maintained excellence in academic performance at
Columbia, and he lettered in Varsity basketball. Following graduation, the Navy
then sent Joe to Steam Engineering school and to Norfolk, Va., where he was
stationed aboard the USS LCS (L) (3) 1 more affectionately known as "The
Dirty Ace." Joe received the Navy medal for active service in World War II
and the Navy medal for service in the American Theatre Campaign of World War
II. Following his Navy discharge in 1946, Joe enrolled in Swarthmore College,
where he played varsity soccer and distinguished himself as an All-American soccer
player and Olympic alternate. He graduated with a B.S. in psychology in 1949. After college, Joe joined his father's firm, D
& W Blueprint, in Trenton, NJ, expanding the business first to a complete
reprographics business and, then, to the largest reprographics business in the
State of New Jersey. In January 1970 Joe met Barbara Bates and the
two began a beautiful romance that would last over 46 years. They married in
July of that year aboard the Leonardo da Vinci in New York Harbor and sailed to
Europe where they honeymooned in Italy before taking up residence first in
Morristown, NJ, and then in Barrington, IL. Their life has been a beautiful
love story between two wonderful friends, witnessed and admired by many. Joe was hired in 1969 by Keuffel and Esser, an
engineering supply company, as their vice-president of marketing. Shortly
thereafter, Teledyne Post, hired Joe away from K & E as president of
Teledyne Post in Des Plaines, IL. Joe quickly distinguished himself and soon
became known as the Teledyne "turn-around" specialist, adding to his
charge eight additional companies. He reworked these eight struggling entities
until they were out of financial trouble and brought them all back to
profitable status. Among his many professional accomplishments, Joe was granted
a patent for his development of erasable vellum paper. Joe served as the
president for the National Coaters Associations. He also served as keynote
speaker and in leadership positions for the International Association of Blue
Printers and Allied Industries, in demand by all six regional reprographics
organizations; Joe D'Annunzio was truly a giant in the industry.
During this period Joe lived in Barrington, IL, and traveled extensively for
business. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Illinois
Central Railroad. He was a member of the Barrington Hills Country Club, Chicago
Horticultural Society, Barrington Presbyterian Church, Barrington Play Reading
Group, The Meadow Tennis Club, Fox Point Bridge and Tennis Club. He was also
the owner and CEO of Northstar Reprographics in Eden Prairie, MN. Following
retirement from Teledyne, Joe and Barbara moved to Tallahassee where Joe
entered Florida State College of Law at the age of 72. He graduated at age 75,
passed the bar exam and was sworn in on New Year's Day 2000, by Florida Supreme
Court Chief Justice Major Harding. Joe D'Annunzio was the first new Florida
attorney of the new millennium. Joe favored employment law and worked both in
companies and as a sole practitioner, finally retiring at 87. He served on the
Executive Board of the Golden Eagle Homes Association and was a member of
Christ Presbyterian Church. He enjoyed all the musical events at FSU especially
the Tallahassee Community Chorus and traveled with the chorus to Carnegie Hall
and to China. Joe loved pro football and was a faithful Patriots fan. He was
proud supporter of Jimbo Bo Fisher and the Florida State Football program. For
16 years Joe was always in the company of his devoted black Lab Puccini who
proceeded him in death in August 2016. Puccini and Joe were truly devoted to
one another. Joe was a total Renaissance man and enjoyed opera, bridge,
computers, sailing, astronomy, theatre, downhill skiing, and business, among
others things. He had the privilege of serving as a supernumerary at the
Metropolitan Opera in New York City for several seasons. In appearance he was
sartorially elegant and well-lettered. On this paternal side, he descended from
the Italian Baron and Baronessa Cauli from the Italian town of Casalanguida in
the province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy. Additionally, it is
rumored that he is related to the late raconteur, poet, novelist, war hero, and
lover, Gabrielle D'Annunzio (perhaps a paternal cousin). Joe was preceded in
death, by his mother, Lillian Decrescenzo D'Annunzio, his father, Joseph
Carlyle D'Annunzio Sr. by his sister, Lola, a Broadway /film actress, and by
his Aunt Jean "Jenny" Denow of Lawrenceville, NJ, and Tallahassee,
FL. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Barbara Bates D'Annunzio of
Tallahassee. Also surviving are his older sister, Lillian D'Annunzio Keephart
of Ewing, NJ; devoted nephew, William Joseph Keephart; devoted niece, Lydia
Fabbro Keephart, Little Nell Keephart, Lawrenceville, NJ; Jonathan Fabbro Keephart,
Alexandra Salerno Keephart, Atlas Henry Keephart, Malvern, PA; a niece, Jo Ann
Keephart and Dave Stradling, Hamilton, NJ; daughter, Gabrielle D'Annunzio Burke
and Lawrence J. Burke of Santa Fe, NM; daughter, Jolie D'Annunzio, San
Francisco, CA; son, Sandy Joseph D'Annunzio, Janet Erley D'Annunzio, David
D'Annunzio, Lisa Claire D'Annunzio Thurber, Kaleb Thurber, of Piedmont, CA;
Christine Fabbro Brunner, Daniel Brunner, Harper Elizabeth Brunner, and Hunter
Leo Brunner, of New York City; Elizabeth Brunner, New Canaan, CT; Glenda
Fabbro, Indian Shores, FL; Michael Allen Tierney, Marcy Olin Tierney, of New
York City; Joseph Patrick Tierney, Eleanor "Elly" Tierney, of
Annapolis, MD; a loving cousin, in Aloha, OR, Louise Jinglesse DeCrescenzo Bohr
and Mark Bohr; Sadiye Bedestani, of Yardville, NJ; devoted caregivers, Vicky
McNair and Leroy McNair, as well as a sister-in law in Tallahassee, Patricia
Bates Trotta and Joseph Anthony Trotta. Additionally he had a host of dear
friends in Tallahassee, the Chicago area and in New Jersey. A Celebration of
Life service for Joe will be held later this spring in Lawrenceville, NJ. The
visitation for Joe will be held at Christ Presbyterian Church on 2317 Bannerman
Road on April 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be the following day,
April 8, at 2 p.m. at Christ Presbyterian Church, with interment immediately
following at Culley's Meadowwood on Timberlane Road. In lieu of flowers,
contributions can be made to: FSU College of Law, 425 Jefferson Street,
Tallahassee, FL 32301; Tallahassee Community Chorus, P.O. Box 13083,
Tallahassee, FL 32317-3083; Christ Presbyterian Church, 2317 Bannerman Road
Tallahassee, FL 32312; Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Boulevard,
Tallahassee, FL 32308-5428 Arrangements are being handled by Culley's
MeadowWood, 700 Timberlane Road, Tallahassee, FL (850) 893-4177.
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