Joe and I were 15 year-old freshmen in high school when we met. I was new to Catholic schools and didn't know anyone. Joe took it upon himself to make me feel welcome, introduced me to his many friends and encouraged me to get involved in sports and other activities. It might sound like a small thing but it meant a great deal to me. I soon found out that Joe had lost his dad not many years earlier--something that I knew affected him greatly. But i also knew that Joe cam from a large and loving family filled with bright and creative people and that must have been a great source of strength for him then--as they were also a great source of joy throughout his life. No one can doubt that Joe was one-of-kind. Over the arc of his life, he spread more happiness to more people than anyone I ever met by a country mile. He was, however, also a serious and thoughtful person. Joe graduated near the top of his high school class and attended Syracuse University on a full scholarship. There he might the love of his life, Val and he really blossomed. Joe's interests were vast. He loved art, film, literature, theater and especially music Once, his sister Barb and her then boyfriend (now husband) Mike Russell, offered to take us to the historic concert at Watkins Glen--Joe was in heaven! Joe could write beautiful and often funny prose and poetry seemingly effortlessly. His deliberately bad poetry--which he called "Joems"--were as bad as any poetry ever written and just as funny as they were bad. His smarts and sensitivity combined to make him an interested (as well as interesting) person. He was interested in people (even total strangers-- to their initial shock and then quick delight). He was passionate about sports of all kinds both as an athlete (he was a natural) and as a spectator. He loved running, basketball, golf, bike riding and even silly "sports" like frisbee games and nerf basketball. I just heard from a friend that Joe may have invented Frisbee golf circa 1975! He told Paul Tyler that he laid out a course on the grounds of the art museum in Rome, NY, developed holes, rules--the whole deal. Paul didn't say who won the match but there can be little doubt. Joe was also passionate about politics. When visiting me in DC, the lawless occupant in the White House did something especially egregious. Joe suggested that we. protest the next day and designed a huge sign that we took to Pennsylvania Ave the next day. The large group of protesters already assembled were so impressed with the sign, that they asked us to lead the march. An AP wire photo of the sign and Joe made the national papers the next day. Joe loved people and life as long as he was able and brought joy to everyone (EVERYONE!) who knew him. And he loved no-one more more than Val who took such excellent care of him for so many difficult years.