Mr. Joseph A. "Joe" "Joey" Rizzo III

UTICA/ILION – Mr. Joseph A. “Joe” “Joey” Rizzo III, age 52, passed away on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, reuniting with his loved ones who had gone before him. He courageously fought in his final weeks but as Joe would have said, “Purebred Italians do not live as long.” Born on April 30, 1972, Joe was the son of the late Joseph A. Rizzo, Jr. and Christine M. “Tina” (Belmont) Rizzo. He attended Kemble School and was a graduate of T.R. Proctor High School/Class of 1991. His sociable and outgoing personality developed at a young age. Joe was well-known by his peers for his participation in football, baseball, bowling, and chess club. Immediately after high school, Joe set out to hone his skills as a true “jack of all trades.” He took on a wide range of jobs, both big and small, beginning his career with a paper route. He then held employment with Insituform Pipe Lining Technologies in New York, NY, where he worked as a civil engineer. Joe worked up to the role of project manager, proudly overseeing a large team of employees. Joe often bragged about the time he installed a new liner through the biggest sewer pipe in New Jersey. After, he worked for his dear friend, Ronald “Ron” Darling at Universal Contracting for nearly a decade. Together, they also opened an after-hours restaurant called Little Louie's, which they ran from 2001 to 2003. Joe, alongside his buddy, Raymond “Ray” Ruszkowski, operated Stanwix General Store, serving coffee and baked goods to the community. For a passing moment, he was an associate of the funeral staff at Eannace Funeral Home, Inc., offering compassion to grieving families and forming many friendships. Later in life, Joe found a passion for real estate—buying, remodeling, renting out, and selling properties. Every Sunday, he made his rounds to each property, finding peace in mowing the lawns, sometimes joined by his children. He was also a landowner, and from that grew one of his most beloved ventures, the famous Screams Along the Canal. “Screams,” for short, was a haunted trail found on 31 acres of land on Route 5 in Schuyler for all to enjoy during the Halloween season. Nothing appeased Joe more than hearing even the toughest of men let out a scream! On occasion, he held some of the most legendary, “off season” parties on the land. A risk taker through and through, there was nothing that Joe was afraid of. As an automotive enthusiast, he enjoyed anything that moved as fast and as swiftly as he did from snowmobiles to dune buggies to limousines to sports cars and anything in between! It was always full throttle for Joe, and he would frequently refer to his many vehicles as his “Big Boy Toys.” He also loved rocking out to music, adding additional beats and lyrics to the songs. He had a goofy yet genuine personality that was never too serious. He could share a long conversation, full of laughter with a stranger and they would never lose interest. He was truly a friend to all who crossed his path. Joe ensured that everyone around him always felt included and certainly that they were having a good time. He touched more hearts than we may ever know, and he will be missed dearly by all who loved him. Honored by his Italian heritage and Catholic faith, Joe felt blessed to have been raised within the parish community of St. Mary of Mount Carmel/Blessed Sacrament Church. Above all else, Joe’s greatest pride and joy in life were his children. He spoke of them often and was always ready to show off their photos with a wide, ear-to-ear smile. Nothing brought him more happiness than watching them grow and sharing their accomplishments with everyone. Although each of his children received a different version of him, it was evident that he loved them with all his being. Joseph “Joey” lived many lifetimes here on Earth. May his story be a book full of lessons for us all to learn from. A testament from his eldest daughter, Kendull Redner. “To the dad who...showered me with flowers on every special occasion, pushed me to be the best in all my sport activities, showed me how to be an entrepreneur, rooted me on with a blow horn while I was running XC meets, drove me to my cheerleading competitions and events, took me to my figure skating classes, and pushed me to never give up and to keep my eyes forward. To the dad who…confronted all of my bullies without screaming and yelling, drove me to Albany when my art was chosen to be exhibited, would clear the lake for us kids to skate on, and snow blow hills in the back yard so we could go sledding. To the dad who...picked my number off the ground after I had 15 laps to go but ripped it off ready to give up on running the Mott Marathon and told me to keep going because he wasn’t raising a quitter. To the dad who...jammed out on many car rides, let me have end of the school year parties every year and invite my whole grade, would drive a limo around town and look for our friends so we could all feel like movie stars for the day. To the dad who...took me snowmobiling, showed me how to drive a motor bike, and let us kids run wild while having the time of our lives. To the man who…told me the world was mine to grab. I miss you already. You weren’t perfect but you will always be my dad A testament from his eldest son, Navio Rizzo. “In Loving Memory. He wasn't just an amazing father, he was an incredible human being. His love, wisdom, and strength continue to guide me, and his memory is a source of comfort and inspiration. Even though he's gone, his spirit lives on in those he touched, and his legacy will always be a part of me. “It doesn't matter who my father was; It matters who I remember he was." - Anne Sexton. A testament from his daughter, Cadence Rizzo. “Growing up, I was always a daddy’s girl. My dad and I shared a bond full of laughter, adventure, and unforgettable memories. He had a way of making everything fun, whether we were riding four-wheelers through the woods, learning how to drive his cars and trucks, or just goofing off with nerf gun fights in the house. He always believed in us, trusted us, and made us feel capable, and because of that, I grew up believing I could do anything. Some of my favorite memories are the nights we spent building villages together in Minecraft, only for them to disappear, but it was never about the game, it was about the time we shared. While our relationship may not have stayed close into adulthood, I carry with me the gratitude for those childhood memories and the foundation he helped build in me. He was a man who did his best with what he had, and that will never be forgotten. A part of him will always live in a corner of my heart. Not just in memories, but in the way I look at the world, and the way I love. May you rest in peace dad." Joe is survived by his beloved children and their loves, Kendull and Alex Redner, Navio Rizzo and Dillin, Cadence Rizzo and Ashton Addison, Valentino Rizzo, and Rosalina Rizzo; and his high school darling who he found love with again later in life and built a relationship on caring for one another, Liz Hanrahan. He cherished memory of his firstborn grandson, Antonio Joseph Rizzo, another life taken too soon. Joe is also survived by his two granddaughters, Nevaeh Redner, and Eliana Redner; and his dear siblings, Honor Rizzo, and Matthew Rizzo, Tanya Mailranz and their families. He was predeceased by his sister, Laura Anne “Rizz” Rizzo-Sierak, just over a week prior to his passing. He also leaves to cherish his memory his niece and her partner, Maranda and Dakota; his nephew, Frank “Frankie” Sierak; and many other nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and cousins. Joe is additionally survived by his closest friends, Ron Darling and the entire Darling family, Ray Ruszkowski, Matt DeLonge, Don Manley, and many others from along the way. The Rizzo family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff at Wynn Hospital for their dedicated efforts. Special mention goes to his daytime nurse, Katie, and his nighttime nurse, Daniel, for the exceptional care and comfort they provided Joe during his final days and those who checked on him and visited him showing the love they shared for him. In honoring Joseph’s wishes, his family will honor and commemorate his life privately. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Eannace Funeral Home, Inc., 932 South St., corner of Hammond Ave.

Mr. Joseph A. "Joe" "Joey" Rizzo III

April 30, 1972 - April 20, 2025