US Army veteran
WAKEFIELD — Joseph “Joe’ Michael Coscia passed away peacefully at the age of 99 years surrounded by family at the Kaplan House.
Joe was born October 3, 1925 to Michael and Carolina (Posca) Coscia, immigrants from Potenza, Italy. He was raised in the Jeffries Point section of East Boston and attended Boston Latin School, class of 1942. He let us know his school commute included taking the one cent ferry and the streetcar.
He served in the Army during World War II. Upon discharge, Joe attended Northeastern University. Raffi & Swanson hired him where he remained a resolute employee until retirement as a research chemist. It was here that he met his wife Joan Lee. Joe asked Joan to be his date for the company’s annual Christmas Party. Their second date was the next year’s Christmas Party. They were married for 54 years until Joan’s passing in 2010.
Joe was predeceased by his wife Joan; sister V. Jean Coscia and brother Anthony Coscia, both of Revere; and nephew Michael of Waltham. Survivors include his daughter Caroline of Wakefield; son Michael of Los Angeles; and son Joseph and his wife Colleen of Lakeville; his two grandchildren Christa (DMD) and her husband Josh Faherty of Wareham and Nicholas of Saugus. He is also survived by his two great grandchildren Allison and Bennet Faherty; and by his nephews Tony Coscia and his wife Trish of Melrose and Thomas Coscia and his late wife Tracey of Revere.
Joe was a creature of habit. The same routine every day including his bathroom visits. Food shopping was always at Lucci’s Market. Lunch a cold cut sandwich. His Sunday breakfast at Hammersmith Family Restaurant, Saugus always two eggs scrambled, home fries, white toast and no meat. He joined Caroline on day trips exploring New England. Inevitably the trip included eating at a local diner where Joe would order two eggs scrambled, home fries, white toast and no meat.
He enjoyed watching the Red Sox and when macular degeneration took away his sight, he listened on the radio. When his hearing became less, he continued to listen albeit a bit louder. Joe was a member of the Wakefield Retired Men’s Club and a life member of the Wakefield Elks.
Joe loved sitting on his three-season porch in the corner chair in the sun. It is only fitting that Joe’s passing would occur when it is too cold to sit on his beloved porch.
‘I’ve lived a good life.’ To live to 99 years old takes a village. The Coscia family thanks those that assisted Joe reaching this age. The Jamaica Plain Veterans Affairs Medical Center specifically the Low Vision Center (devices and his cane), audiology (his ears) and podiatrist Dr. Sang (God bless you). Dr. Ronald Sen for his 20 years of care. For the past month, his home aides Kitty, Cally and Laura. Nurse Sylvia of Tufts at Home. A big thank you to Kitty for the past two days. To the Care Dimensions team at Kaplan House who provided support for his peaceful transition.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Joseph Church, 173 Albion St., Wakefield on Wednesday, December 4 at 11:30 a.m. Visitation for relatives and friends will be held prior to the mass at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Interment, Forest Glade Cemetery, Wakefield. Donations in Joe’s memory can be made to Care Dimensions, 75 Sylvan St., Ste B-102, Danvers, MA 01923 or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For the online guestbook and directions, please visit mcdonaldfs.com.
