HUGO JOSEPH ROSELLI, known to his family and friends as Joe, passed peacefully at age 98, on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at his home on Galt Ocean Mile in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. He was a loving son and husband, devoted father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Joe was predeceased by his parents Michele and Maria Grazia, and his wife Dolores of 58 years. He was also predeceased by his sisters, Lucia Pace and Phyllis Brozicevic; and his brothers, Alfred, Victor, Sam and Mario. Joe is survived by his sister Elizabeth Scirpo; sons: Richard (Lisa) Roselli, and Robert (Jennifer) Roselli; daughters: Pamela (Amir) Nozari, Judith (Richard) Gowdy, and Nancy (Joseph) Summa; grandchildren: Nicholas, Christiana, Alexandra, Michaela “Lucky”, Anthony, Gabriella, Andre, Nitalia, Michael and Gabriele; great-grandchildren: Vincent, Christian, and another one on the way.

Joe was born on March 22, 1922 in Bedford, Indiana. He was the “7th Son of the 7th Son”. His parents a decade earlier immigrated from Tocco da Casauria, in the Abruzzi region of Italy. His parents had sadly lost two young sons during voyages from Italy. Joe grew up on a small farm in Bedford, as the youngest son in large Italian family with eight children. His father, Michele, was a stone sculptor traveling and doing artistic work on many now historic buildings and monuments which still can be seen in Chicago and Washington D.C. His Mother, Maria Grazia, who wanted to be called Mary Grace upon living in the United States, was always devotedly at home caring for the children, cooking and being the stable center of their lives.

Joe became ill in his teens with rheumatic fever, and was confined to bed for over a year recovering. He would share the stories of that difficult time, but he loved to tell how his oldest sister would teach him schoolwork at home, of his German Shepard “Ranger”, and passing his time reading and drawing. He was an accomplished artist, skilled in drawing, painting and sculpting. After recovering from his illness the family moved to Chicago, and became involved in the cemetery monument business. With his father and brothers sculpting monuments, Joe realized his talent was as a salesman and with management. Joe had several successful businesses in Chicago.

Joe was always an impeccable dresser, and would always have the newest luxury cars. Through his sisters, he met a beautiful young neighbor, Dolores, and they soon after married. They lived for a short time with his parents, so Dolores could learn to cook and understand Italian. Joe and Dolores bought their first home in Melrose Park, in Chicago, and lived there with their first three children, Rick, Pam and Judi. While in Chicago, through business, Joe had the opportunity to travel and adventure in Europe and South America. He loved telling the stories of his traveling adventures. He loved to cook and was an accomplished chef, letting everyone know he learned to make his signature dish, Fettuccini Alfredo, from Alfredo in Rome. After his parents and youngest sister moved to Hollywood, Florida, Joe and Dolores, with their young family followed in 1960. Joe built a large home in Hollywood Hills, which was constructed by his brother-in-law, Paul Scirpo. During the period before the move to Florida, Joe became involved in building, and constructed a strip shopping center in Tampa, Florida. Arriving in Florida, he also learned to sell life insurance, which he did while developing plans for his next building. With his brothers, Fred, Victor and Sam, Joe designed, constructed and opened in 1963, a six story office building on Federal Highway near Oakland Park Blvd., in Ft. Lauderdale, then called the Coral Ridge Medical Professional Building, which he eventually named “The Roselli Building”.

Joe was a visionary who early recognized the need in the area for quality modern office space. At the time it was one of the largest office buildings in the area, and his pride and joy. The building became a well known site, with Fazio’s, an Italian restaurant nightclub drawing celebrity entertainers, and celebrity crowds, often including in the spring, now Hall of Fame ballplayers of the New York Yankees. Years later, with his brothers, he opened Roselli Ristorante, a fine dining Italian restaurant in the building, where Joe could be seen most nights graciously engaging with his friends and guests.

At their home in Hollywood, two more children, Nancy and Robert, completed the family of five children. Joe always emphasized to his children the importance of education, and was firm in his resolve that his children receive excellent educations and excelled. Joe and Dolores were also strong in their Catholic faith, and in raising their children with faith and values. Joe was a benefactor and helped develop Nativity Catholic Church & School in Hollywood, where all his children and family would attend. He was also a benefactor at Chaminade College Preparatory School, then a small all boy Catholic high school, where his sons attended, now known as Chaminade Madonna.

Joe was truly a Renaissance Man, who was well read, loved music, art, cooking, fine wine, and premier cognac. Joe developed in his children the importance of also being well rounded, learning music and the arts, teaching them gourmet Italian cooking, and to enjoy fine wine. All the children learned to play musical instruments, the girls learned dance, and the boys were also multi-sport athletes. Joe and Dolores could always be seen enjoying and cheering at their children’s games and activities.

Joe‘s love of music was a passion; Italian classics, Mario Lanza, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Andrea Bocelli, and Opera. Joe regularly attended the Opera until his later years. He was very proud that singer/actor Mario Lanza was his cousin, and his music and movies were a staple of the Roselli home. To Joe, the Italian culture was always an important part of his life, with the traditions always present in how his children were raised. He enjoyed visiting Italy many times during his life with family and friends. After he built the Roselli Building, Joe began several other building projects, with development partners, including his dearest friend, the late, Bruno DiGiulian, Esq., and Ralph Scala, M.D., who was a life long friend since Joe was ill in his youth. Together they built several apartment buildings, strip shopping centers, and office buildings. Joe also started his company, Roselli Realty, in 1972, and later, Roselli Commercial Investments, Inc. and Pompano Investments, Inc. Joe also ventured into many projects which were ahead of the time, such as starting Computer Schools across the country to teach the new technology as early as the 1970’s. He also collaborated with actor, Mickey Rooney, to set up game centers for kids. Joe’s life was one dedicated to success in all he endeavored, and his dedication and love in taking care of his family.

He was extremely close with and proud of his ten grandchildren, and would often brag, that as adults they were all well educated, and became professionals in law and medicine. He was a friend and mentor to so many people during his life. He was exceedingly generous and a recognized philanthropist to the causes he believed in, such as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

He loved to watch and talk about the Miami Dolphins, Miami Marlins, Miami Heat, and New York Yankees, as well as, Joe DiMaggio, his baseball idol. Joe will be remembered as always dressing sharply, requiring a crisp crease in his trousers, polished Italian shoes, his dress shirt with a sweater vest, and his white fedora hat. He still had to be driven in his new Jaguar, and always loved his nightly dinner to be a gourmet meal served in courses, followed by a glass of aged Madeira. We thank his aides, who made it possible with their devotion to his care, for him to be at home until his final breath. We thank Dr. Karan Muniswamy, and Dr. Michael Dolchin who cared for him as physicians and friends. Joe was a Man for the Ages: brilliant, loving, with a great sense of humor, a dedicated father to his family, courageous, and with the highest integrity. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and by all who knew and loved him. But He Will Never be Forgotten.

A public Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 28, 2020 from 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM with a Prayer Service at 7:00 PM at Boyd-Panciera Family Funeral Care, 6400 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood Florida 33024.   Funeral Mass will take place on Friday, May 29, 2020 at 11:00 AM at Nativity Catholic Church, 5220 Johnson Street, Hollywood Florida 33021.  Entombment to follow at Hollywood Memorial Gardens.

Due to attendance size restrictions imposed on us by this pandemic, please contact his family or our funeral home for more specific funeral information.

Please note modifications may take place regarding Visitation/Services due to the Coronavirus . Boyd-Panciera is following local and state guidelines and is taking all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety and health to our families and staff to halt the spread of COVID-19. Please call the funeral home for updates and possible changes to this service.