Joseph Vespasiano

LITTLE FALLS - Mr. Joseph Vespasiano passed away peacefully in his home, in Little Falls, at the age of 98, on December 1, 2023.

Joe was born on July 31, 1925, in Little Falls, son of the late Anthony and Josephine (Lamonda) Vespasiano. In his early years, he was a proud resident of the South Side and could give anyone a guided historical tour of what he considered a very special part of his upbringing. He graduated from Little Falls High School in 1943 and soon embarked on what he referred to as “his 2 year camping trip”, serving as a Sargeant in the US Army 90th Infantry Division during World War II. He took part in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns and was a member of a unit awarded the French Croix de Guerre. He received an Honorable Discharge in 1945. Joe always said, “The true heroes were the ones who never came home.”


Joe returned to Little Falls where he worked as a carpenter before enrolling in SUNY Oswego, earning a B.A. in Industrial Arts, in 1952. While at Oswego he was elected to the national honorary fraternity in Industrial Arts. He went on to receive an M.A. in Education from SUNY Albany, in 1954. But the true highlight of that year was his marriage to Beverly Walrath (“the most beautiful girl in Little Falls”), who was his wife for nearly 63 years before her death in 2017.


Joe then joined the Mohawk Central School as an Industrial Arts teacher for Grades 7-12, where he enjoyed a career of 30+ years and was known as Mr. V. He often said that becoming a teacher was one of the best and most fortunate decisions of his life, second only, of course, to his marriage to Bev. During his time in Mohawk, he received the SUNY Oswego, Certificate of Appreciation for “Outstanding dedicated service to his profession as one of Oswego’s finest cooperating teachers” (1981) and the NY State Industrial Arts Association, Regional Teacher of the Year from Mohawk Valley Industrial Ed. Assoc. (1981-1982). After he retired in 1987, he was honored as a Distinguished Educator/Central Valley Hall of Fame in 2019. (Videos of his “Catskill comic worthy” acceptance speech are available upon request.) He mentored a number of student teachers who went on to have careers in Industrial Arts. Mr. V was the kind of teacher we all hope to have – inspiring, entertaining and devoted to a student’s success. He remained close to many of his students, often spanning generations, and was a popular figure within the Mohawk community, known for a man who would go the extra mile for just about anyone.


In his “spare” time, he was a master furniture maker, building, creating and designing just about anything with wood. He also loved ceramics and taught night school classes for years on this and other subjects. His work ethic was exceptional. He was a member of the BPOE Elks, the American Legion and the DeCarlo Staffo Post. He was the oldest living member of the Dolgeville Rod and Gun Club, although he didn’t fish and hunt. He was an in-demand toast master, usually roasting the honoree without a script. He played clarinet in the Little Falls Military Band, a music lover who was also a heck of a dancer.


Joe enjoyed visiting new locations, in and out of state, with Bev, seeing their children, especially if there was an inviting spot to have a beer and a cigar which presented an opportunity to socialize and meet new people. While he was an Anglophile and traveled to London several times, he was incredibly proud of his Italian heritage and was thrilled to visit Italy, where, quoting Verdi, he pronounced, “You may have the universe, if I may have Italy”.


Joe/Mr. V’s sense of humor, clever wit and selfless generosity over his 98 years earned him friends too numerous to count. To Joe, friendship was paramount and important to preserve. He loved his home (although he was reminded of the curse “May you buy an old house!”), his barn (workshop) and his backyard. He hung a sign on his deck that said, “Il bar e aperto” (The bar is open.) and friends were always welcome.


Joe was a dedicated and loving husband, father and grandfather and leaves behind his children, Amy Vespasiano and husband, Birch Johnson, of New York, NY, Dr. Michael Vespasiano and wife, Dr. Dana Hazel, of Minneapolis, MN and Joseph A. Vespasiano and wife, Daphne Shen, of Little Falls; his grandchildren, Nicholas and Gabriel Vespasiano, Nell Johnson and Anthony Vespasiano.


He was pre-deceased by his sister, Lucille (Vespasiano) Gerhardt; and his dear friend, Dennis Arndt.


Family and friends are invited to attend calling hours for Joe, on Friday, December 8, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the Enea Family Funeral Home, 24 West Monroe St., Little Falls, NY and his Mass, at 10:00 a.m., at the Holy Family Parish, 763 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY, followed by interment with full military honors, at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Route 5, Herkimer, NY.


In lieu of flowers, as an expression of sympathy, those wishing to remember Joe in a special way may consider a donation to either Holy Family Parish, 763 E. Main St., Little Falls, NY 13365 or Plant a Tree (no cedars please). Envelopes may be obtained from the Enea Family Funeral Home.


The family is grateful for the utmost professional care received from Joe’s doctors, nurses and staff at Little Falls Hospital and At Home Care providers.


Joe’s funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Enea, Ciaccia & Applegate Funeral Directors.