My uncle, and godfather, passed away this past Monday…
February 2, 2009 Joseph P. Walto Sr., 72, of Syracuse, passed away peacefully Monday at his home surrounded by his family. Mr. Walto was a communicant of Holy Family Church. Joseph is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, the former Donna Sofia Walto; three daughters, Rose (David) Campagnone, Chris (Michael) O’Brien, and Niki (Michael) Mahar, all of Syracuse; two sons, Joseph (Lauren) Walto Jr. of Syracuse and Dennis (Donnette) Walto of Ethiopia; six grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted Friday 9:30 a.m. at PIRRO & SONS FUNERAL HOME and 10:30 a.m. in Holy Family Church where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Burial will be private. Calling hours will be held on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the funeral home, 1500 park Street. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice of CNY, 990 Seventh North Street, Liverpool, NY, 13088 or Holy Family Church Food Pantry, 119 Chapel Drive, Syracuse, NY 13219. Dignity Memorial
Published in the Syracuse Post Standard on 2/4/2009
When I was growing up, I always thought of Uncle Joe as the “cool” uncle: he was the youngest of my father’s brothers, he played the drums, and listened to The Rolling Stones… he lived up in Syracuse, and on a few occasions our family would take a long ride up to visit with him and my cousins. I remember a trip in the Summer of 1967, when my brother bought the latest release from the Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, another trip in the Fall of 1975 when Uncle Joe asked me who I thought would win the World Series that year, the Reds or the Red Sox, and my last trip in the Summer of 1977 after my freshman year in high school. We hadn’t really stayed close, but I continued to send him a Christmas card each year. Apparently, around this past Thanksgiving, a lump was found…
Despite the fact that we were not terribly close for quite some time, I will miss him.