Joseph A. Ceccato's Obituary
Joseph Ceccato (aka “Joe”), born on December 5, 1957 in San Francisco to Mariano and Angela Ceccato, died at the age of 58 in his residence in San Mateo on the morning of April 9, 2016.Joe was a man of honor, devotion and loyalty. He gave of himself in everything he did. As a young man, he dropped out of college just before completing his engineering degree to join the Army. During his time in the service he earned several medals and ribbons for conduct, service and expertise. He would have given his entire life to the service of his country had he not been seriously injured in a tragic accident that occurred during an Army reserves training mission which left him in a coma. When he regained consciousness he found himself with many serious physical, mental and psychological injuries. He healed physically. He taught himself how to read and write again. And he slowly recovered from the loss of his fellow soldiers. It took some time for Joe to heal completely. During that time he worked for an insulation and then a courier company. He was adrift and unfulfilled.Eventually he found his nitch, where he could serve his country again, in the USPS. Joe enjoyed the postal service and the friends he made there. He enjoyed going to work every day. He especially enjoyed the canned food drive the post office organizes each year. The collecting, the organizing, the bbq, seeing his friends and co-workers gathered together working toward a common goal of helping others. Joe received several special achievement awards while with the USPS. Joe didn’t just give his life to serving his country. He gave his life to his family. He neither married, nor had children. He looked after his parents when they grew old and infirm, and then his mother once she was alone. When his siblings needed him, he was always there for them; Always. When he was younger, he was a man of adventure. He learned how to fly so he could soar with the birds. He went on an adventure to Alaska, the great unknown, planning to live off the land. Later, he bought a concrete boat hull with the intention of turning it into a sailing ship to sail the world. We dreamed with him. His most favorite thing to do was to read. Growing up, he always had his head in a book and later a Kindle. The adventures he gave up to care for others, he lived through his books.Joe is survived by his mother; Angela Ceccato; and siblings Vincent, Angelo, Lora, and Mariano Jr. May he rest in peace.Viewing to be held on Saturday, April 23rd from 1pm to 5pm at Skylawn Funeral Home. Funeral service to be followed by burial Sunday, April 24th at 1pm at Skylawn Memoial Park and Funeral Home.
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