By Joy Winner-Vasaturo
For the Daily Times
WWII Army veteran Joseph Passaretti celebrated his 106th birthday at the Springfield Mission BBQ on Saturday. Thanks to Community Ambassador Lisa Parks for organizing the entire celebration with the help of Joy Winner-Vasaturo and Collingdale Mayor Donna Matteo-Spadea.
Joe from Collingdale walked the red carpet with Parks to the Mission BBQ, where there was lunch, a big birthday cake, cards and thank you notes.
Parks had a large poster hanging at Mission BBQ for over a week, with many people signing it and giving birthday greetings.
There were numerous people and organizations to thank for the event, including the Springfield and Collingdale Fire Departments for the flag arch for Joe to walk under, and the Stars & Stripes, Bars and Pipes, Warriors Watch, The 2nd Brigade, and The Blue Comets motorcycle groups; and the Vietnam Veteran Marine Corps and Media VFW Color Guard for the flag walk in Joe’s honor.
Delaware County Department of Veterans Affairs Director Col. Arthur Jenkins presented Joe with a proclamation.
Gerry Nail of the Broomall American Legion presented Joe with certificates and challenge coins, as did other groups.
There was a handmade honorary quilt from the Brandywine Valley Quilters, presented to Joe by Larry Smalley, Mike Bair and Bill Jillson of the Albert Clinton Wunderlich American Legion Post 65 of Lansdowne, and a quilt donated by the Springfield Ambulance Corps.
Both active duty personnel and veterans from the Army and Marine Corps were present.
Others in attendance included Joe’s daughter Nancy Fenn and close friends; Collingdale’s former Borough Manager John Hewlings; former Council President Kate Munroe; and former Councillors Jeff Buocolo and Shannon Murphy; former Police Chief Ken Felker; Councillor Stephen Zane;
Tax collector Diane Hunter and many other friends.
His story in brief
Passaretti served in the Army in Africa and Europe during World War II from 1942 to 1945 and was awarded the Purple Heart and many other medals.
Passaretti served with the 36th Infantry Regiment, 133rd Field Artillery Regiment. The veteran participated in five invasions of Europe and Africa as an artillery specialist, operating howitzer cannons. Before his service ended in 1945, Passaretti had been in Africa, Italy, France and Germany.
Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, Passaretti worked at Curtis 1000 Publishing in Hartford before being transferred to the Broomall office and moving to Delaware County.
There he met his great love Margaret Passaretti, married her and the couple settled in Collingdale. The now widowed 105-year-old has lived in Collingdale for 69 years.
He was a dedicated founding member of the former Joseph Marshall-Donald R. McCay Collingdale VFW Post 5428 on Oak Avenue for over 50 years.
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