Obituary of Joseph Francis Coniglio

Joseph Francis Coniglio Joseph Francis Coniglio, formerly of Rome, passed away unexpectedly after a short illness on Friday, June 5, 2009 at the age of 97 in Carson City, Nev. Joe was born in Frankfort, New York on October 6, 1911 to Francisco Coniglio and Anna Jaffalone, the oldest of twelve children. He was injured in a farming accident at an early age. The resulting loss of his lower leg didn't slow him down at all in the next eighty-plus years. Joe resided in Rome, New York while he worked for the city of Rome, General Cable and owned a taxi company. He married Rosalie Carletta in 1944 and they were blessed with three surviving children, daughters, Rosalie and Carol, and son, Joseph. In 1961, Joe moved his young family to South Lake Tahoe, California, where he went to work in the casino industry and eventually worked for the city of South Lake Tahoe. Joe retired and moved to Carson City where he lived until returning to Rome in 1990. After the death of his wife in 1994, Joe returned to Carson City in 2000 to be nearer to family and he resided there until his passing. Joe spent his last years in a wonderful apartment at Autumn Village. He made many new friends and thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the great room visiting with his neighbors. One could always find him there if he wasn't out walking. He also volunteered daily at the Carson City Senior Center and became an institution at lunch, serving coffee and bussing tables. He was an inspiration to many of the other seniors at the center, where Joe would be challenged by visitors to prove he was as old as he said he was. Joe will be greatly missed by family, friends and co-workers. Joe leaves behind daughters, Rosalie Virgin, of Las Vegas, and Carol (Gus) Coniglio-Mate and son, Joseph F. (Janet) Coniglio, all of Lake Tahoe; three grandchildren, Jamie (Coniglio) Frink, Joel Coniglio and Suzanne Reid; and five great grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers, Dominic Coniglio, Rome, and Carl Coniglio, Utica; five sisters, Kate Krupiarz, Rome, Frances Biazzo, Chittenango, Lena Versace and Margaret McGurn, both of Florida, and Mary Fabrizio, of Nevada; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Rosalie, an infant son, his brothers, John, James and Sam, sister, Sophie. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 17, at 10:15 a.m. from the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home, Inc., 218 W. Court St., at St. John the Baptist Church at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be in St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday, June 16, from 4-7 p.m. A celebration of Joe's unique life will be held in Carson City at a later date.