Joseph Gatto

     
  Joseph Gatto, 83, passed away suddenly on Sunday, December 12, 2021, with his family by his side.  Joe was a man
 dedicated to his family and his Catholic Faith.
 
 Joe was born December 30, 1937, in Hillsville, Pennsylvania, a son of the late Joseph Gatto
 and Anna Sfara Gatto. He was the third of four children.
 Joe graduated from St. Fidelis Seminary in Herman, Pennsylvania. He completed a
 Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Youngstown University. He
 married Marjorie Little on June 3, 1967 at St. Christine Church. He worked for many years
 at the General Electric Youngstown Lamp Plant until the plant closed in 1985.
 Joe was very active in the St. Christine Church community where he served on Parish
 Council, trained the altar servers and Eucharistic ministers for many years, worked the
 Parish Festival, and brought comfort to others through the ministry of St. Vincent de Paul.

 He was active in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, serving as Assistant Pack Leader of
 Troop 22 and Assistant Scout Master of Boy Scout Troop 22. He was a member of the
 Monsignor Mears Council of the Knights of Columbus and was chairman of their Pro-Life
 Committee. He also was a  member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Austintown.
 Joe loved to spend his time with his grandchildren. He could often be found working in his
 garden. He truly appreciated a good meal, good music and a good joke. He loved animals.
 He shared his home and heart with many dogs over the years and he loved his two cats,
 Maggie and Jodi.
  His family and friends will remember him as a man who would help anyone, could fix
anything and always had the gadget or tool that you needed close at hand.
 
 He leaves his wife of 54 years, Marjorie (Little) Gatto, three children, Joe (Jackie Rapose)
 Gatto, Teresa (Larry) Yarger, Tom (Jennifer) Gatto, and ten grandchildren, Amanda Yarger,
 Olivia Gatto, Noah Gatto, Joe Gatto, Anthony Yarger, Elijah Gatto, Julie Gatto, Adam
 Yarger, Ruth Gatto and Abigail Gatto, a sister, Kathleen (Tom) Higbee of Petaluma,
 California, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister,
 Teresa M. Gatto and his brother, Rocco “Babe” Gatto.
 He enriched our lives. We are better off because we knew and loved him.  

  A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Christine Church after Christmas for family and close
 friends.

  Arrangements are being handled by  Vaschak Kirila Funeral Home in Cornersburg.