Joseph Rocchio, son of Joseph and Bernadine Rocchio, burst into the world, along with his best buddy and twin Cosmo Charles on March 12, 1949. The indomitable Rocchio boys brought exuberance, overflowing liveliness and fun, love, and, of course, a bit of mischief into their very early years in Providence, Rhode Island. At age five they moved to South Florida.

At Chaminade High School, both Joe and Charlie continued making their mark, especially in football.

After graduation, Joe entered the US Army and was awarded Special Forces, Green Beret, Sharpshooter and attended Officer Candidate School (OCS), C13-70, Officer Class 13, 1970. 53^rd Company and out of 225, was one of 85 that completed OCS. Always up to a challenge, Joe graduated from both coveted Army Airborne and Ranger Schools and trained Special Forces soldiers in Panama during his years of military service. He remains an “OCS” Brother-in-Arms and will always be considered one of the “Last of the Old Guard.”

After being Honorably Discharged from the Army, Joe earned a degree in Ocean Engineering at Florida Atlantic University and began a career in several fields of engineering, most recently in structural engineering. He loved his work, especially meeting a wide diversity of people, and until his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in June, he worked full-time as a structural engineering consultant with multiple engineers on high-rise condominiums along the South Florida Coastline and maintains a highly respected reputation in the field.

Joe was an adventurer and never stopped loving life and its challenges – from motorcycle riding, ocean kayaking, solo piloting planes, bungee jumping, white-water rafting, hanging off the side of a condo on a swing stage, travel, EST and Landmark transformational personal growth and development courses, making “the best meatballs in the world.” His Big Green Egg smoked nonstop, producing meals for family, friends, neighbors, even the homeless.

Most of all, though, Joe loved people and family. His wife Sonda Malone Rocchio, whom he married in 2004 in Maui, Hawaii, with his brother, Charlie Rocchio, as best man and his best friend and maid of honor, Jan Martin.“JoJo” loved his stepchildren, -grandchildren, and -great grandchildren, his parents and siblings, his many, many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends– Italian or not – brought Joe his greatest happiness and deepest joy. And they all adored Joe in return, as did so many others who were fortunate enough to have met him in his 73 years of life.

Joe lived the adage,”  People will forget what you said, People will forget what you did, But people will never forget how you made them feel … Live simply, Love generously, Care deeply,

Speak kindly, Leave the rest to God. Deeply compassionate, caring and loving, spiritual and philosophical, fun-loving and fun-making, Joe was a gentle giant whose presence will always be with us.

Joe is survived by his wife Sonda, West Palm Beach, her sons Chris (Erin) and children Ella and Jack; Brad Pate (Hilary) and children Jackson, Jillian, and Jonathan; sisters Carol Smith, Hollywood, FL, and Jan Seidel (Bruce), Cincinnati OH, many, and many loving nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and twin brother. A private Celebration of Life will be held later this month.

In Joe’s memory, donations may be made to TrustBridge Hospice:

https://trustbridge.com/donate-now/

Funeral Arrangements Entrusted to: Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care