Joseph Conrad Delfino

Born in The Bronx, NY, November 12th, 1929, Joe was the son of the late Angelo Giuseppe Delfino and Maria Giuseppe Di Lanciano. He passed away on June 6th 2021, at the age of 91 in Naples, FL and was predeceased by his loving wife Estelle Malara, after 61 years of happy marriage. He was also predeceased by his daughter, Patricia Bachman, brother, Louis, sister Alma, and 2 grandchildren - David Bachman and Joseph Delfino.

Joe is survived by three of his four children: Nancy (Peter) Tucci, Carol Delfino (Tom) and Louis (Mary) Delfino and fourteen grandchildren: Christopher, Elizabeth, Paul and Peter Tucci (Amber); Peter (Kayla), Sarah and Jacob Bachman; Glenice, Alex (Devan), Tyler and Katie Anderson; Matthew, Michael and Mary Grace Delfino, and two great-grandchildren Amelia and Jackson Bachman.

A graduate Mechanical Engineer of City College of NY, Joe was a NYS licensed Professional Engineer and was awarded several patents. After leaving the design and development field, he held various positions in manufacturing management and was VP of Engineering and Manufacturing for a division of Becton Dickinson.

Joe and Estelle raised their family in Mamaroneck, NY where he served as Trustee of St Vito’s Church, was on the Mamaroneck Village Board of Architectural Review, Village Planning Board, founder of the Rye Neck School of Continuing Education and elected to the Rye Neck Board of Education where he served 6 years (five as president).

They retired to Naples in 1992 where Joe served as a Director and Officer of the Naples Italian American Foundation. Following his passion for preserving Italian culture, he co-founded the Italian Cultural Society of Naples FL, where he served as president since 1998. Under his leadership, the society grew to a membership of 600, offering Italian cultural programs to its members and the community. Co-funded with the Italian government, the society financially supported Italian language programs at Laurel Oak Elementary School for 5 years.

Joe was also a co-founder of the Italian Cultural Foundation, served as its president for 9 years, and was named Founder- President Emeritus of the Society upon his resignation. In recognition of his promoting Italian culture, he was awarded the title of Cavaliere, and inducted into the honorary chivalric Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana by the President of Italy in 2005. Simultaneously, he was also honored with the title of Corresponding Italian Consul of Naples, FL, granted by the Italian Consul General Miami-Italy.

Funeral Mass to be held on June 18th at 1:30pm at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 7775 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples, FL 34120 and also live-streamed at the link below.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gulf Shore Opera or a charity of your choice:

GO Memorial Fund in Honor of Joseph Defino