Joseph C. Barone “Chuck” of LeRoy NY, age 90, passed into the eternal light, in his home on 9/15/2025 @ 12:45 am in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, lying in bed next to his beloved “my honey”. Joyce, his wife. Jeffery, Gina & Lisa, his children, will forever hold the flame of pa’s brilliantly unique life forged by tribulations and triumphs.

     Dad was a generational treasure with stories and a unique perspective on a world in America that no longer exists. His Italian immigrant family was hardworking from the fields to the factories of LeRoy, NY. He was brought up to pray daily for his brother and future brothers-in-law during WW 2 as he passed by St. Joseph’s Church on his daily paper route. At 12 yo, he unknowingly began his career on that paper route becoming the ultimate negotiator and deal maker with those in hardship greater than his own. Always striking a deal to get his 5¢ commission. But even at 6 yo dad convinced his buddy, Larry to swap his shiny new tricycle for dad’s 2nd hand repainted Box Car! Oh boy ! Did he get ear-walked by Mrs. Mangefrida for that!

     Dad would take his paper route pouch of change to his 2nd “church”, the downtown movie theater!! Scraping gum off the sidewalk with his buddy Larry, spitting out the stones as they ran to the Saturday matinee double feature. He loved the silver screen soo much! …the ONLY place he could visually see the German battlefields, Pacific Theater and great American factories supporting the war efforts. And of course, to visually see John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Henry Fonda, Carey Grant, Groucho Marx, Jack Benny…because dad loved to laugh!  He would sneak double, triple and quadruple matinees and when caught overstaying his ticket, would be ushered out the side door. They would then run to the back of the theater, pressed against the outside brick wall listening to the sounds of the movie speakers until nearly dark. Dad LOVED theater, radio shows, being read to by mom and listening to the stories on NPR.  Dad came from an idyllic 1940’s/50’s upbringing eating cherries with his buddies, at the top of the family cherry tree until their belly was bulging, feasting on Sunday Gravy, fresh ham picnics on Hamlin Beach and nightly home cooked meals with fresh baked bread.

     Later in life he was the recipient of foodie-of the-year 50+ straight years in our family! The way it went in our family was at dinner we would be preparing the grocery list for the next 3 dinners. His favorite question to anyone who called was, “what was for dinner?”

     As was the way of the old days, Mom was not allowed to sit with the men until she learned how to cook like Grandma Barone. Mom is and always will be “my honey”. He loved mom more than any other. He ended up finally leaving her only when mom said, “I love you my honey, I’ll see you soon.” She kissed him, patting his brow and repositioning his head and arm for comfort. As Grandma Barone must have come to the bedroom door, mom crawled back in next to him. In that moment he took his last breath, but mom thought “oh God he is finally at peace”, thinking he finally fell into a deep sleep. It never occurred to her that he had passed into his eternal rest with Jesus, Saint Jude and the Holy Mother.

     We love you so much Pops! You are a national treasure of childhood stories, reinventions, historian of the Silver Screen and an unfathomable tenacity in all your lifetime endeavors!!