Obituary for Joe Armand Vecchione
Vice President of Public Relations for Prudential
Joseph A. Vecchione, 87, of St. Petersburg, FL and Belleville NJ, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, January 27, 2019. Born in Newark, the son of Pasquale and Helen (Scalamoni) Vecchione, he lived in Newark prior to Belleville in 1953. He graduated Fairleigh Dickinson University, and began his career as a sports reporter for the Newark Star-Ledger as well as a news reporter for the Newark Evening News.
He was an accomplished executive who spent the majority of his career at the Prudential Insurance Company in Newark, N.J. He was active at all levels of PRSA, including as president of PRSA’s New Jersey Chapter. He was PRSA’s national president in 1994. He also served as the president of the PRSA Foundation in 1995 and 1997.
In 1982 he earned the Chartered Life Underwriter designation and became a fellow of the Life Management Institute. In 1984 he was named a Chartered Financial Consultant.
Joe was an APR, Fellow PRSA, a distinguished PRSA leader who served in a variety of roles, including national president.
In 2001, PRSA honored Joe with the Paul M. Lund Public Service Award for his many years of volunteer work. The following year, he received the Gold Anvil, PRSA’s highest individual award for lifetime achievement in public relations.
He joined Prudential in 1965 after several years with P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company, where he was the editor of the corporate newsletter. He became manager of Prudential’s public relations division in 1969, advancing to director in 1972. He continued his ascent at Prudential with a promotion to vice president of public relations in 1978. He retired from the company in December 1994.
His local community was close to his heart, and he always took the time to give back as seen by his many years of volunteer service to various organizations. He was a trustee of the Clara Maass Medical Center Foundation and its bioethics committee. He was also on the board of trustees of The Catholic Advocate and the Blood Center of New Jersey, and was a trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark.
Joe was also an avid reader who loved his cat, Ashley.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Eleanor M. (Eccles) Vecchione; his daughters, Denise Guarino and her husband, Gennaro, Rita LaRosa and her husband Oscar and EllenRose Vecchione; two sisters, Theresa Reina and Josephine Moss; 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Joseph A. Vecchione, Jr. and a sister, Helen Odgers.
The funeral will be Thursday at 8:30 a.m. from the S.W. Brown & Son Funeral Home, 267 Centre St., Nutley.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's in Nutley at 9:30 a.m.
The entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.
Visitors will be received at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4-8p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the PRSA Foundation or to the charity of your choice would be appreciated.
Joseph A. Vecchione, 87, of St. Petersburg, FL and Belleville NJ, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family on Sunday, January 27, 2019. Born in Newark, the son of Pasquale and Helen (Scalamoni) Vecchione, he lived in Newark prior to Belleville in 1953. He graduated Fairleigh Dickinson University, and began his career as a sports reporter for the Newark Star-Ledger as well as a news reporter for the Newark Evening News.
He was an accomplished executive who spent the majority of his career at the Prudential Insurance Company in Newark, N.J. He was active at all levels of PRSA, including as president of PRSA’s New Jersey Chapter. He was PRSA’s national president in 1994. He also served as the president of the PRSA Foundation in 1995 and 1997.
In 1982 he earned the Chartered Life Underwriter designation and became a fellow of the Life Management Institute. In 1984 he was named a Chartered Financial Consultant.
Joe was an APR, Fellow PRSA, a distinguished PRSA leader who served in a variety of roles, including national president.
In 2001, PRSA honored Joe with the Paul M. Lund Public Service Award for his many years of volunteer work. The following year, he received the Gold Anvil, PRSA’s highest individual award for lifetime achievement in public relations.
He joined Prudential in 1965 after several years with P. Ballantine and Sons Brewing Company, where he was the editor of the corporate newsletter. He became manager of Prudential’s public relations division in 1969, advancing to director in 1972. He continued his ascent at Prudential with a promotion to vice president of public relations in 1978. He retired from the company in December 1994.
His local community was close to his heart, and he always took the time to give back as seen by his many years of volunteer service to various organizations. He was a trustee of the Clara Maass Medical Center Foundation and its bioethics committee. He was also on the board of trustees of The Catholic Advocate and the Blood Center of New Jersey, and was a trustee of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark.
Joe was also an avid reader who loved his cat, Ashley.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 67 years, Eleanor M. (Eccles) Vecchione; his daughters, Denise Guarino and her husband, Gennaro, Rita LaRosa and her husband Oscar and EllenRose Vecchione; two sisters, Theresa Reina and Josephine Moss; 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, Joseph A. Vecchione, Jr. and a sister, Helen Odgers.
The funeral will be Thursday at 8:30 a.m. from the S.W. Brown & Son Funeral Home, 267 Centre St., Nutley.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary's in Nutley at 9:30 a.m.
The entombment will follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover.
Visitors will be received at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4-8p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the PRSA Foundation or to the charity of your choice would be appreciated.