Joseph Francis Pietruch

March 28, 1931 - October 24, 2020

MARCY-Joseph (Joe) Francis Pietruch passed gracefully unto the Lord on October 24, 2020, at home in the company of his family. Joe was born on March 28, 1931, at the family home in Yorkville. He attended Whitesboro Central School, and was a life-long resident of the greater-Utica area, making a living as a mechanic with his father at the Texaco service station they owned and operated, and later with the Motor Vehicle department at NY Telephone through mergers and buy-outs until retiring from Verizon in 1991. After dating for four years, he married the love of his life, Dolores Hadynski, at St. Patrick’s Church in Utica on July 11, 1959. His infectious love of fishing was rewarded by catching the limit most of the times he went out, even if those with him didn’t get a nibble, and he enjoyed few things more than being on the lake (Oneida or Delta) with family and friends in search of walleyes and perch, or chasing trout in local brooks and creeks. He and Dolores spent many weekends of the early years fishing in the morning, and going out Polka dancing at night. A constant tinkerer, there was very little he couldn’t fix, and the family treasures the original drawings, welded and carved sculptures, and crafts his creative side produced. He built the family’s first snowmobile from scratch (and a trailer to match) in the early 1960s, creating many fond memories of gliding over trails in the parks and fields around town. The family moved into the new homestead he built in Marcy in 1970, where he spent the recent years enjoying the company of his grand- and great-grandchildren as the extended family grew. Joe was a veteran of the Korean conflict, and served honorably from March 1952 until February 1954. He is survived by his devoted wife of 61 years, Dolores; his son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Martha Pietruch, of Marcy; his grandsons: Joseph and his wife Cathy Razim of Scottsville, Justin and his wife Jillian of Berwick, Maine, and Jeremy Pietruch of Marcy; great-granddaughter Amelia (Call me Millie!) and great-grandson Cameron. Also left behind are his sisters Eleanor Krawiec and Barbara Bertrand, sister and brother-in-law Patricia and Charles Dolan, and sister-in-law Helen Hadynski, as well as many loved and loving nieces and nephews. Joe was predeceased by his parents, Joseph B. and Wanda Pietruch; his father- and mother-in-law, Frank and Mary Hadynski; his sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis and Stanley Kasprzyk; and brothers-in-law David Bertrand, Anasty Krawiec, and Frank Hadynski. Relatives and friends are invited and may call Friday from 10 am to 10:30 am at Kowalczyk Funeral Home 470 French Rd., Utica. Funeral services will be 11:30 am at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Whitesboro, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated. Entombment will be in Resurrection Chapel Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers, remembrances in Joe’s name may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home and the Mass. Joe's family thanks the ER, Special Care, and Palliative Care staff at the St. Elizabeth campus of MVHS for the care they provided. Special thanks go to Cheryl, Paula, Matthew, Irene, and especially Ashley from Hospice for their support and assistance to Joe and family - you helped SO much to make the bitter, sweet.