Joseph L"Joe" Spano

Joseph L. "Joe" Spano, 85, of Gardner, and formerly of Patricia Road, Westminster, died peacefully Monday, December 13th in the Baldwinville Nursing Home, Templeton.
He was born in Fitchburg, MA on October 18th, 1925, the son of Carlo Spano and Giovana "Joanna" (Accardo) Spano who came to America from Trapani, Sicily.
Prior to retiring in 1984, Joe was a Mechanical Maintenance Technician and Custodian employed by the City of Fitchburg for twenty years and previously for the New England Telephone Company for 13 years.
He was a member of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church in Gardner. He was a Life Member of the American Legion Post 429 of Fitchburg, the VFW Post 7389 of Westminster and the Disabled Americans Veterans. Joe was very active in the VFW and served as Past Commander.
Joe was a United States WWII Navy Veteran and received the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theatre Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal. He served with the 11th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) from 1943 to 1946 in the Solomon Islands Campaigns, and with the Sixth Marine Division participated in the assault on Okinawa in 1945.
His hobbies included fishing, gardening and working around the house. He enjoyed watching old movies, Archie Bunker, Red Skelton and the Three Stooges. He was also an avid New England Patriots fan.
Joe was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Blanche (Fredette) Spano, who died March 14, 2008.
He is survived by one daughter, Joan C. Lepage and her husband Andre of Gardner; three sons, Michael C. Spano and his wife Cheryl of Fitchburg, Anthony P. Spano and his wife Donna of Yuma, AZ and Paul A. Spano and his wife Frances of Gardner; six grandchildren, Marc and Denis Lepage, Casandra Farnsworth, Christina, Jessica and Matthew Spano; four great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins. Joe was precedeased by two brothers, Sebastiano "Ben" Spano, Joseph Spano IV and by three sisters, Dominica "Mamie" Quatrale, Mary Cali and Antonia "Nina" Dinatali.
Funeral Services will be held Friday, December 17th from the Boucher Funeral Home, Inc., 110 Nichols Street, Gardner with a Mass at 12:00 p.m. in Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church, 135 Nichols Street, Gardner. Burial will be in the MA Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Winchendon at a later date.
Calling hours in the funeral home will be Friday, December 17th from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center, Inc., 268 Central Street, Gardner, MA 01440 or to the Baldwinville Nursing Home, Activity Fund, 51 Hospital Road, Templeton, MA 01436.

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