Joseph Barbera's Obituary
Joseph Barbera “Joe", age 79, of Port Richey, Florida, passed away peacefully on October 24, 2025.
Joseph was born on May 29, 1946, in Brooklyn, New York, to Joseph and Angelina Barbera. He had two sisters, Anna Tomasulo and Mary Reinboldt.
He married the love of his life Rosalie L. Barbera on December 6th, 1970, in Flushing Queens. The couple started a family together with the births of their children Joseph James and Suzanne Lynn. They remained devoted to each other until her passing in March of 2010.
Joseph was a wonderful husband and father. He was the kind of person who would do anything for anyone, even a stranger. This quality led him to a career of taking care of others for over thirty years. He spent many years as a security officer at Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York, guarding high-profile patients and their families. He spent the latter part of his career as a safety officer in the Hillsborough County School District. He took great satisfaction in helping ensure the safety and wellbeing of the students.
Joseph had rich and varied interests outside of his career. He loved the outdoors, especially spending time at the beach with his family. He had great pride in everything he owned in life and took care to ensure his home and garden always looked their best. He was an avid sports fan and could often be found cheering for his home teams, particularly the New York Yankees and New York Giants.
After his retirement, Joseph became somewhat of an amateur chef, perfecting new recipes and sharing meals and wine with his family. Later in life, he loved attending estate sales, collecting, among other things, model trains and fish figurines. He was very patriotic, a true American, and enjoyed reading and learning about the history of our country and the wars that shaped it.
Joseph is survived by his son Joseph J. Barbera and daughter Suzanne L. Gasper (Jason); several nieces and nephews, as well as many extended family members and lifelong friends.
He touched many lives and will truly be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Joseph's memory to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society: https://donate.nationalmssociety.org
Hotel options for out-of-town guests:
Hampton Inn Trinity - 11780 State Road 54, Odessa, FL 33556
Holiday Inn Trinity - 2125 Corporate Center Drive, Trinity, FL 34655
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