Joseph Balducci of Seminole, Florida, crossed the River on August 23, 2026, after a long journey of nearly 104 years.

He was a member of the Greatest Generation, born on November 24, 1922, the son of Cataldo and Pasqua (Mancini) Balducci of Berwick, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Berwick High School in 1940 and then worked as a machinist building Stuart Tanks for AC&F in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Stuart Tanks were smaller light tanks used during World War II.

In January 1943 he entered the U.S. Army. He was a proud veteran of WW II, having served with the 82 nd and 17 th Airborne Divisions, and was one of 16,000 paratroopers who jumped in the Ruhr Valley across the Rhine River in the invasion of Germany as part of Operation Varsity.

After the service, Joseph was employed as an electrician in the Philadelphia area for many years. When he retired, he moved to Seminole, Florida, and became "Florida Joe", enjoying the beach and friends he made in Florida. He spent summers at the family cabin in central Pennsylvania hosting many family reunions and family gatherings and he would inevitably and emphatically say that "kings don't eat this good" during a scrumptious meal.

Joseph loved his family and extended family and helped family members whenever he could. In his final days he powerfully reminded his family to love and care for each other.

He was a bona fide character and everyone who knew him has a story to tell. Along the way he became the photographer for the entire Balducci extended family, and he assembled and sent a million photo albums to Balducci family members. He was also the greatest golfer, cigar smoker, owl collector and sports fan who ever lived.

Joseph is survived by an army of descendants including four sons, Michael (Donna), Charles (Duska), Joseph (Debra) and Frank (Audrey), 6 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren (and another on the way), many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Joseph was predeceased by his sisters and brothers, Jennie Pacchione, Jeanette Balducci, Josephine Bastiani, Frank Balducci and Michael Balducci (who was killed in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge).

He will be missed but never forgotten.